


A Wondrous Mistake

by Prince_Hel



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: (it seems this one has become one of my default tags. lol), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Tender Naughtiness, a drop of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-05-27 04:42:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 39,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15016904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prince_Hel/pseuds/Prince_Hel
Summary: Therese, along her co-workers and friends, decided to stay in the Hotel & Casino they had been working in once they finished their responsibilities to try their luck. Carol was celebrating her freedom after signing her divorce, not caring if she was on her own, though such situation changed when both women found themselves in the same place. Alcohol led them to do something that wouldn’t have done if they had been clear-headed … but perhaps they could take advantage of their mistake to achieve their own personal interests.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

>   
> 
> 
> When I saw that comment for the first time, it was nothing but a great compliment but days laters it turned into a huge proof that it was a fact (?) lmao. I had been working in this story since the last year but you already know that I don’t publish stories until I finish them ─ that might carry a risk if someone ever has the same or a very similar idea, as [5c4r13tt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/5c4r13tt) reminded me inadvertently, haha. For awhile I wondered if I should post this or let it go but after looking the first chapter of [Hitched](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14831732/chapters/34326788) I decided to do it because even if the base is the same, we are taking the stories for different paths. It also helped that I talked to 5c4r13tt about this and she reassured to go for it :P  
>    
>  Btw, I saw “What Happens in Vegas” just once so I don't remember the movie in detail but this fic it's definitely inspired by it.

* * *

  

The first thing Carol noticed when she woke up was a terrible headache that was actually making her head throb. She frowned with her eyes still closed, placing an arm over her eyes, blocking all kind of lighting. The second was the extreme dryness of her mouth but she didn’t give much importance since she was just waking up, however, she tried to moisten - in vain - her lips with her tongue. The third was an extra weight next to her that was making the bed sag a little. It was that what made her remove her arm from her face, opening her eyes sharply because it wasn’t possible that there was someone in bed with her unless what happened yesterday had been only a good dream.

She felt the bile coming up her throat as she turned her head to the side, dreading to find the person with whom she had shared her bed for the last three years. Her heart stopped when she looked at the figure next to her though there was a sensation of relief that she couldn’t deny when she confirmed it wasn’t him, even when she had no idea who the other person was. She could tell it was a woman, her feminine curves obvious even with the sheet covering her but Carol couldn’t see anything beyond the messy dark hair that was sprawled over the pillow since the woman was lying on her belly with her face opposite to Carol’s direction.

The fourth thing she noticed was that they were dressed ─ she was wearing a nightgown and from what she could see, the other woman wore a tank top and she wanted to believe that if there was something at the top, there should be something at the bottom. Part of her wanted to lift the sheet to confirm it but she didn’t, knowing that it was an invasion of privacy. She raised an eyebrow, looking towards the ceiling, at the irony of it since they were in bed together.

Carol stiffed when the other woman shifted, grunting as she awoke. She knew it was stupid because the moment the stranger turned, she was going to see her or even before that if she became aware in the same way Carol did. Nevertheless she remained still, as if she was trying to make herself invisible by not moving. As expected, it was in vain because soon enough, the other woman was turning around, coming to a halt and gasping at the moment Carol felt her eyes on her. Neither women moved a muscle, both holding their breaths since the tension of the room was threatening to blow out with the slightest action.

But Carol, not able to keep fighting against her curiosity, turned her head to the side one more time to look at her. The young woman ─ _Therese_ , her mind suddenly recalled as her eyes swept through the beautiful features that weren’t completely foreign, having vague images that Carol couldn’t put together ─ blushed when they made eye contact, squirming uncomfortably in her spot before looking away, not standing the duel for so long but she didn’t attempt to get out of the bed.

“This is awkward,” she finally blurted out after prompting herself up on an arm. The way her eyes widened in surprise making clear that she spoke without meaning to do it for which Carol snorted.

“That’s a way to put it,” she sassed.

“Uhm, my head is killing me so that tells me it was a pretty fun night.” The sarcasm was dripping from her voice. “Do you remember anything?”

“I remember who you are, which is better than nothing I guess. But I don’t remember how we met, much less how we ended up here,” she admitted.

Carol moved her left arm to brush a strand of blonde hair that was slowly falling, tickling her cheek and that was how she noticed the fifth thing: a ring on her ring finger ─ she had stopped using hers since she asked for the divorce so she couldn’t understand why the hell she was wearing it again, especially after her celebration of the previous day. But in a further examination, Carol realized it wasn’t the same ring she had used for years ─ that one was ostentatious, full of diamonds but this one was a simple and elegant gold band decorated with two lines around the circumference.

Therese sighed relieved. “Well, that makes it a little less awkward. I have- I don’t know if they are memories, it’s all blurry, of us in a casino?” She looked around the room, trying to find something that would let her know where they were.

Carol had a flashing image of her drinking and laughing, leaning her body against the other woman who was also laughing but before she could hang on to it to dwell a little bit more about what transpired the previous day, Therese started to fidget with her hands, holding her left ring finger with three of the other hand after a few seconds. That action made Carol noticed the sixth thing: that the young woman was wearing (and at the moment swirling it with her index finger and thumb) a ring that matched her own.

She choked on her breath, eyes widening as her heart beat wildly against her chest. _No, no, no, it’s not possible_. But even when Carol was trying to reassure herself that things weren’t what it seemed, the images in her mind were getting clearer, telling her that it was exactly what it appeared to be.

 

* * *

 

_Therese decided to stay in the Hotel & Casino after finishing the photoshoot they had scheduled for today there. The place was newly open and they were working in any kind of advertising. Actually, her entire team and the models (which was the only reason why Therese’s team followed suit) were staying and she didn’t want to seem too antisocial but when they decided to play in the casino, she ventured around on her own with the excuse to fetch a drink. The last thing she needed was to lose her life savings only because she was a little self-conscious of what they would think about her if she didn’t yield at the peer pressure._

_She sighed, reaching to her shoulder to play with the strap of her satchel that wasn’t there, forgetting for a second that she had left her things safely in the trunk of her car. In replacement she held the hem of her shirt as she kept walking to the bar, smiling politely whenever she made eye contact with any staff member of the place, all of them extra attentive due to the credential card that was hanging around her neck, some recognizing her since she had been photographing every room._

_When Therese arrived at the bar, the bartender was calmly arguing with a blonde woman that for her tone of voice, already had a few drinks but she didn’t seem wasted like the young man was treating her. “Ma’am, I understand that you are still able to know who and where you are but I’m trying to avoid the point where you no longer recall those things.”_

_“But that’s not your job, isn’t it?” she asked sweetly. “Your job is to give people what they are asking for.” This time she smiled but her eyes were sparkling threateningly._

_The bartender was about to answer when he looked at Therese, seeing the credential card. “Excuse me a minute. But please, think about it, it’s for your own safety.”_

_The woman rolled her eyes, her fingers tapping the rim of her empty glass before turning her attention to the interruption, frowning as if the young woman was the one to blame for not getting what she wanted. Therese cleared her throat, quickly looking away as the bartender asked her what he could do for her. She didn’t know what possessed her to did what she did, but when she opened her mouth it wasn’t to request something for her as everyone expected._

_“You can give her what she wants. On my account.”_ More like on the place’s since they are the ones paying for our food and beverages _, Therese thought, suddenly feeling guilty for taking advantage of it._

_The man and the woman looked at her with surprise, any kind of hostility coming from her completely vanishing with those words. “I- that’s not the problem, ma’am.”_

_“I think she’s more than capable of taking care of herself.” She confidently sat on a stool, leaving one between her and the woman. “But I know you are worried for your job since this place is new. What kind of image would it give if you let people get drunk?” She smiled knowingly when the man looked down. “Soon you would realize this place it’s exactly for that kind of things, relatively in a safe environment, that’s why there are rooms upstairs.” He still seemed unsure and Therese couldn’t help but think that this was what it happened when someone hired people that didn’t even seemed to have the right age to drink. “I’ll keep an eye on her, I promise,” she added for good measure though it was a lie._

_Giving up, the man sighed, fixing a martini for the woman that placed in front of her and then serving Therese’s drink. Then he walked to the farthest extreme of the bar, clearly not wanting to repeat this anytime soon. There was silence between them, Therese suddenly losing her confidence now that they were alone. “I’m sorry for-”_

_“Don’t be. You got me what I wanted and that’s all that matters.” She sighed with satisfaction after sipping on her drink. “He’s a killjoy ─ there’s nothing wrong in wanting to celebrate, don’t you think?” She made eye contact with the young woman._

_Therese raised her eyebrows. “That’s what you are doing?” This looked more like a pity party, though she only based it on the fact that she was alone. “Who celebrates alone?”_

_“As you can see, I do!” She giggled. “And of course I’m celebrating, I just signed the divorce papers after the most hellish years of my life.”_

_Therese blinked confused as the woman grinned at her. Everything in her appeared sincere. “Then congratulations are in order.” She chuckled almost uncomfortably._

_“Thank you-” Her eyes darted to the woman’s chest, squinting to read. “Therese Belivet.” Therese looked down too, briefly, and when she looked up, she raised an eyebrow, expecting something. “I’m Carol.” She smiled in understanding._

_“Well Carol, it was nice to meet you. I’m going to leave you to continue with your party.” Therese stood up, taking her drink. She smiled at the woman before turning around but in the first step, she was held by the wrist._

_Therese looked down at the hand holding her, the long fingers wrapping around her gently ─ it would be easy to free herself if she wanted but the shiver that the contact sent down through her spine, stopped her from doing it. When she looked back at Carol, she was smiling smugly at her, her free hand working as support for her head. “Aren’t you supposed to … keep an eye on me?” She raised an eyebrow. “You promised after all.”_

_Therese’s lips parted in surprise. “I don’t want to interrupt your party for one.”_

_“It would be more enjoyable to have someone with whom to celebrate.” Her smile turned coy as she blinked slowly. The action made Therese blush because it felt like the woman was flirting with her. “Unless you are not alone.” She added when the silence stretched._

_“I- uhm …” She looked towards the gaming tables for a moment. “I can stay if that’s what you want.” She finally decided, placing her glass on the bar as she sat again, this time next to Carol._

_The woman looked at her with earnestness, no trace of playfulness in her features, almost as if she was looking at her for the first time. Therese forced herself not to look away even when it was uncomfortable to be under such scrutiny but then Carol smiled, a slow smile that made her face light up with its sincerity, so contagious that Therese smiled back at her. It was surprising how natural the comfortableness settled between two strangers as time went by ─ they chatter, even if superficial, was easy and it didn’t take long for them to be laughing as if they were longtime friends._

 

* * *

 

“You did what?!”

Carol cringed when her best friend raised her voice, looking around the casino for a second before frowning, stretching her arms to take her five-month-old daughter that the woman was holding. “You are going to scare her.” But Rindy didn’t look frightened in the least, her tiny hands clenching the fabric of her blouse as she snuggled against her mother shoulder, closing her eyes.

It was all her fault, Carol knew it ─ she should have known better than to share with Abby this kind of information when they weren’t in a private place. She had thought that the casino would help because it was always boisterous but her friend could be louder without even intending to. “What did you expect me to do with this revelation?”

Probably what Therese did.

After the memory of what they did yesterday dawned upon them after seeing the matching rings, a tense and uncomfortable silence fell between them. They didn’t talk about what they were going to do since getting an annulment was the most obvious response. In fact, they didn’t talk at all after that ─ Therese had been the first one to slip out of the bed, finding her clothes in one of the chairs, gathering them in her arms before disappearing into the bathroom. Carol had followed her all the time with her eyes, as if the woman was some sort of magnet and her eyes a metal, drowning into a surreal sensation.

When the young woman came out, she looked at Carol’s direction but without really looking at her, opening her mouth to say something but after thinking better or probably not having an idea of what to say, she closed it, deciding to leave the room without further ado. Carol didn’t even think about following her to fix this drunken mistake as soon as possible ─ not only she needed time to accept the idiocy she had made but she also knew that Therese wouldn’t completely disappear from her just like that. In any case, she knew her name and it would be easy to find her.

The only thing that pulled Carol out of her distraction was her cell phone beeping somewhere in the room. Seeing a message from Abby asking her where she was, put her in tension because she suddenly remembered her life besides this mess but at least she was able to calm down when she remembered that she had been in her five senses when she asked Abby to look out for Rindy while she went to meet Harge and their lawyers for the last time.

Since Carol didn’t answer, Abby frowned. “I was supposed to babysit so you could go and sign your divorce. How the hell did you ended up here and got married?”

“I wanted a drink to celebrate the end of that hell, you know? And the marriage thing didn’t happen on purpose, Abby, I was drunk. Extremely.” Because who in her right mind would get married the same day they got divorced? Carol closed her eyes, sighing distressfully as she pressed her lips against Rindy’s head softly, knowing her daughter had fallen asleep.

“There’s still a gap in the two points. One drink I get it … but you spent hours with a stranger and you married them!” she hissed with frustration. “After sending you countless of messages and calling you without getting an answer, the only thing you gave me was a message telling me everything was okay and that you weren’t returning for the night, followed by the name of this place and an hour to meet us here.” She ran a hand through her hair, restlessly. “I sincerely thought you had changed your mind and that you were reconciling with Harge.”

Carol gasped with incredulity. “I would never!”

“What would you wanted me to think?! The last thing I knew was that you were going to see him and then you didn’t return for the whole night.” She frowned but snorted. “Believe me, even if I would have been extremely pissed off with you for it, that made more sense than what you actually did.”

Carol snorted too. “Yeah but you have to admit that this, even if it’s beyond shocking, doesn’t make you pissed off with me.” She smiled sweetly.

Abby rolled her eyes but she couldn’t deny that it was reassuring that Carol wasn’t back with that prick. “What are you going to do about this?”

“I’m going to ask for an annulment. At least I’m aware we can rely on two reasons: mental incapacity and inability to consummate the marriage,” she deadpanned.

“Too bad, the only thing that made a marriage worth it is the wedding night,” she joked.

Carol laughed richly. Only Abby would have the ability to make her sincerely laugh at this moment. But her laugh came to a halt when she looked over Abby’s shoulder. Therese was standing close to the slot machines, fidgeting nervously with her sleeves, not knowing if she should get closer to her since she was with someone else or to wait until she was alone. However, when Abby turned around, curious to know what had made Carol look like she had seen a ghost, the young woman sat in one of the free machines just to pretend she hadn’t been paying attention to them.

“Do you know her?” Abby asked, looking back at her friend after memorizing the pretty girl in her mind.

What harm could it make? Soon she was going to end this and most likely their paths wouldn’t cross ever again. After all, New York was a humongous city. “That’s my wife,” Carol said sarcastically.

Abby’s eyes widened comically. “Holy shit, Carol, at least she’s legal?!”

“If not, we would have another reason for the annulment.” But she knew Therese was at least twenty-one years old since she had been drinking and nobody questioned her about it. Nevertheless, it was painfully clear the age difference between them.

Abby was curious about the young woman, she wasn’t good at hiding it and Carol knew that sooner or later, she was going to ask her to introduce her; in the worst scenario, she would make her way to Therese without Carol’s approval. Before she could take the control of the situation, everyone in the casino was distracted by the loud bells that announced somebody’s big win, bells that startled a few and that awakened Rindy, who immediately started crying. Carol bounced her gently in her arms, cooing at her as her eyes darted around, wanting to find all the commotion.

It wasn’t difficult since she wasn’t the only one who wanted to know what was the big deal about. A big crowd had gathered around the slot machines, surely enviously congratulating the lucky one. It didn’t take long for the people to spread out, only one member of the casino remaining there, most likely to discuss the earned prize. Carol froze when she looked at Therese standing up from her seat, her face showing the disbelief she felt. Their eyes locked for a brief second before the young woman was distracted by the man waiting for her, who gestured to her to follow him.

“Perhaps you should think twice about the annulment and get a divorce instead since there’s no prenup.” Carol knew her friend was joking but she would be lying if she didn’t admit to herself that the same thought had crossed her mind, but in her case, in a very serious way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your reassurances <3

 

* * *

   

One of the perks of barely knowing someone was that it made easier to be blunt about whatever you wanted since you didn’t care about what the other person could think about you. Especially with the … negative traits. Carol didn’t care if Therese thought she was an interested bitch once she talked with her. It was the truth after all, even if she was doing it with the best interests in mind for her and her daughter and not only because she simply wanted a part of the two million dollars the young woman had won. She didn’t care what she could think about her but either way, she was going to explain her real reason to do it because she didn’t want to make Therese feel like she was taking advantage of her like a person but of the situation.

Carol closed her eyes, sighing deeply. She couldn’t believe she had gotten herself into this mess when she was barely out of one. Rindy brought her back to the present by mumbling unintelligibly, making her smile when she looked down at her, finding her daughter with her head tilted in adorable confusion. They were waiting in the lobby of the Hotel & Casino for Therese since it was the most logical place where the young woman had to go through at some point, sitting on a couch. It was only the two of them since Abby had grudgingly left after Carol’s request but she needed to be alone in order to think about what she would do ─ she even called Fred, her lawyer to let him know of her situation and after some teasing from his part, he told her about her options with this: the one where she convinced Therese to go along with it or the one where lawyers had to be involved once again.

Carol brushed Rindy’s bangs away from her forehead with one hand, the other one resting on her back, working as support for the baby. Her heart clenched painfully with the endless love for this little person. She had never felt such strong sensation of protectiveness, the feeling that she would do absolutely anything for someone, no matter how crazy it seemed. Carol knew that if Rindy wasn’t part of the picture, she wouldn’t care for the uncertainty of the future ahead of her but she did have someone who depended on her and that’s why she couldn’t just surf life without some sort of sustain.

Movement at the corner of her eye distracted Carol like everytime someone walked by but this time when she raised her head, she found the person she was waiting for. Therese still appeared to be in a state of bewilderment but at least her smile when she shook hands with the man that had whisked her away after her won was sincere. Once alone, the young woman dipped her hands in the pockets of her jeans, looking around as she swayed her weight from the tip of her feet to her heels. The last twenty-four hours had been totally surreal ─ she was a married twenty-two years old woman who didn’t even remember her wedding and now she had won a lot of money that she couldn’t even think what to do with it.

She still carried an annoying headache but at least was bearable and the images from last night had finally completed the puzzle, at least until the biggest craziness of the day. Most of the night had been spent with she and Carol ranting about men, never letting their glasses to be empty for too long. However, she couldn’t understand how they went from that to talk about marriage and agreed that it would function better between two women. Actually, that was easy to comprehend, now that she was sober her thoughts weren’t different from that, but she couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that she had been the one proposing the idea that they should verify it by themselves.

She was completely embarrassed by it and it was the reason why she had almost flown out of the room when the memories started to hit her. How could she face Carol after that when it was most likely that the woman would recall that particular detail sooner or later? But the least she could do, in an attempt to make amends, was to be reasonable and willing to fix this mess. Nevertheless, when she looked at Carol in the lobby, standing up from the couch, she had to fight against the desire to run towards the door.

Taking a deep breath, Therese walked in her direction, feeling as if her heart was climbing up her throat at every step. Carol started to walk too, helping disappear the distance between them. They stopped when they were close enough to hear each other but not close enough to show any kind of familiarity. Therese rubbed the back of her head, forcing herself to keep her eyes on Carol’s face even though she was curious about the baby she was carrying. Since she had seen her with the other woman in the casino, all kind of assumptions started to gather in her mind, the primordial been that the two of them were together.

“So …” Therese started but Carol quickly interrupted her.

“I think we should have this conversation in a private place, don’t you think?” She added a smile at the end, hoping not to look or sound too stern.

Therese nodded, looking around for a moment. “Where do you want to go?”

Carol eyed the clock hanging on the wall behind the reception. “We can still use the room for a few hours before checking out.” She looked down at Rindy. “But I don’t know if you would feel comfortable with that.”

If it was only the two of them, Therese would have been apprehensive about the idea but the fact that they wouldn’t be alone gave her the, perhaps mistaken idea that it would be okay. “Yeah, if you are okay with it, it’s fine.”

They exchanged a brief look, Carol nodding once she was convinced that Therese was really okay with it. They walked towards the elevator in silence, Rindy’s babbling helping them to feel a strange sensation of reassurance, like perhaps this wasn’t as terrible as it seemed. But when Carol stretched her left arm to press the button to call for the elevator, Therese freaked out in a very different way when she noticed that she wasn’t the only one still wearing the ring on her finger.

 

* * *

  

Carol tried to not put attention on the unmade bed but when Rindy writhed in her arms, curious by the unknown scenario, she placed her on it, right on the middle as she sat on the edge, leaning against the headboard so she could keep an eye on her. Therese decided to take a seat on the couch that was at the bed’s left, in that way she could divert her gaze away from Carol’s whenever it was necessary but at the same time she would be able to look at that direction by the corner of her eye, for some reason wanting to be alert just in case because she knew how unpredictable babies could be.

For a moment Therese was so distracted by the little girl, who had picked the sheet with her two hands to pull at it, that she blurted out the question that had been swirling in her mind. “She’s yours, right?”

Carol’s gaze went from Rindy to the young woman who was blushing in awareness of what she had done. “What would be the other option? That I kidnapped someone’s kid?” she joked, hoping to relax her.

Therese chuckled, feeling the uneasiness abandoning her. “Well, I saw you with that woman and I mean, there could be two other options: that you two are together and the baby is yours or that she’s her kid and you are taking care of her.”

Carol smiled a little. “Rindy is just mine, though Abby, who is the woman you saw me with is her godmother. We aren’t together, we are just friends,” she clarified.

“That’s good, I would feel horrible if I married a woman who was already in a relationship.” Therese cringed. She sincerely needed to think before speaking. There was an uncomfortable moment that lasted for a few seconds at the reminder of their reality. “Speaking of which, I-” but Carol cut her off again.

“I think I should speak first about that. May I?” Nevertheless, Carol squirmed.

“Yeah, of course.” It didn’t matter who was the one pointing out what they should do in order to fix this.

“Therese, I …” She licked her lips. “I’m going to be honest with you, I won’t agree to an annulment.” Therese only frowned and Carol sighed. “I think I need to explain my current situation better for you to understand.” This time the young woman nod but the frown didn’t disappear entirely. “As you probably recall, I’m divorced ─ I was in a messy legal battle because there wasn’t a prenup; to sum things up, my ex-husband is a jerk who only cared for his company and material things. I didn’t care for that but I tried to fight for a part just to have some kind of safety net for Rindy and I but when he realized that Rindy was my … weakness, he threatened me to fight for her custody if I didn’t give up trying to fight for a sustain.” She smiled bitterly. “So I caved and I gave up on everything just to keep sole custody of my daughter.” She looked away from the young woman. “I have nothing, Therese. Rindy and I live with Abby because he couldn’t care less about us.”

As she listened to Carol’s words a wave of loathing hit Therese towards that man and the position he had put the people he was supposed to love and care for, and it wasn’t too difficult to figure out what Carol was trying to say. “The money, you want it.”

Carol felt embarrassed even though there wasn’t any trace of indignation in Therese’s voice. “I’m really sorry, I don’t know you but I can tell you are a good person and the last thing I want to do is take advantage of you but …” she sighed deeply. “I really can’t waste this opportunity.”

Therese looked down at Rindy, who had flopped on the bed, covering herself with the sheet, pondering the situation. She sincerely didn’t have plans for the money beyond having it there in case it was necessary. She had a steady job with a huge opportunity to come if her team play their cards right. It was the truth that she didn’t know Carol at all and she could be lying but her instinct didn’t believe in such outcome, she didn’t believe that she would use her daughter in that way. And she didn’t have a problem to help someone who actually needed it ─ this might be a drunken mistake but she wouldn’t be like Carol’s ex-husband.

“I don’t have a problem to give you the money, Carol,” she said wholeheartedly after a few minutes of silence where Carol became increasingly restless after every second.

That was the last thing the woman expected to hear. She was expecting some sort of outburst, some kind of objection because who was she to demand something like this? She wasn’t asking a stranger for something meaningless like a cigarette but for a huge amount of money. “What?” The incredulity poured of every part of her as she reached for Rindy to sit her again since she had started to whine.

“If you need the money, I can give it to you, I don’t actually need it.” She shrugged.

“Just like that?” After divorcing a man that was pretty reluctant to give something to her, it was hard to believe this.

“Yeah?” Therese smiled tentatively.

“Without even wondering what’s the catch?” She raised an eyebrow, settling Rindy between her legs. She envied young people and their natural unconcern.

“The only thing that matters to me is that you are not lying to me, you know, faking a story just to trick me.” Carol frowned but before she could defend herself or attack her in some way, Therese kept talking. “Which I know you are not doing. It’s true that we don’t know each other but ... you would have to be a terrific actress to fake that embarrassment.” She smiled in what she hoped was a comforting way. “It’s never easy to admit when you are in a hard situation.”

Carol looked at Therese in awe, her lips slightly parted in surprise, ignoring the way Rindy was tugging at her blouse. Her laugh surprised both women, Therese even startled at the unexpected of it. “I’m sorry, it’s just that … I seriously can’t believe what’s happening right now. You are willing to give me the money, which I’m not even asking all of it but you are giving that vibe. Not asking anything in return, not even concerned about how our lives will change in favor to achieve that.”

“Change?” At this Therese frowned again. She recalled Carol not agreeing to an annulment and she understood because that wouldn’t allow her to part of the money but since she was willing to give it in good will certainly that would change things, right?

“We have to stay married, Therese, at least for six months,” she said, explaining what her lawyer had told her.

The young woman held her breath, her heart starting to beat furiously. Bending forward, she placed her elbows on her knees. “But- uhm-” She rubbed her forehead with her fingers. “We can’t get an annulment even if I’m willing to give you part of the money?”

Carol hadn’t talked about such prospect with Fred because neither of them thought it was even possible to happen. “I really don’t know,” she said sincerely, taking Rindy in her arms when her babbling got louder. “I suppose it could be possible but we also need to think how could this affect us if we try to bury it and comes to light. I’m a mother and you work for an important magazine, if someone finds out about our fleeting marriage under the influence …” she trailed off, not needing to say more.

Therese hadn’t seen in that way. Her boss could be a very chill person but he cared for the image of the company and she couldn’t risk her chance for the promotion she wanted. The worst part was that everything had happened in a place that had hired the company’s services which might won’t make easy to erase this situation like it never happened. “I get it.”

“I know it’s crazy but I think it would look slightly better if we go with the pretense that we met while I was dealing with my divorce, which is why we kept our relationship in secret.” She wrinkled her nose. “I still don’t know how we could explain a marriage out of nowhere.”

“We’ll come up with something that looks realistic,” Therese said after a minute, a sensation of astonishment enveloping her but at the same time, she felt reassured that she was doing what it was right because she would be able to help someone who needed it. She leaned back, resting against the back of the couch, looking at the ceiling. She listened the bed cracking, signaling that the occupants on it had stood up and she felt Carol’s eyes on her but she didn’t address her, her mind restlessly working.

“Does that mean that-?” This time it was Therese’s turn to interrupt.

“Yes, Carol. I agree to remain married to you.” She turned her head in her direction, smiling a little when her eyes found the image of the woman with her child in her arms. Therese supposed ─ as she looked at Carol smiling gratefully at her while Rindy goofily smiled since she was looking at her mother doing it ─ that even if she had been persuaded to do this, it wouldn’t be too bad to be stuck with two people that appeared to be one of a kind for the next six months.


	3. Chapter 3

“There’s something important I need to tell you.” Perhaps that wasn’t the most reassuring way to start a conversation but Therese was in desperate need to talk with someone about what was happening.

Following their conversation, she and Carol had parted ways in the entry of the Hotel & Casino after exchanging numbers so Therese could text her address because of course Carol would have to live with her but she needed to go to Abby’s house for her and Rindy’s things. Therese had offered to take her but Carol had declined, both of them aware of needing to take advantage of the last moments of freedom they would have for the day. Instead of going home, Therese made her way to her best friend’s apartment, needing to share this madness with someone ─ she wasn’t expecting a change of mind, only needing to unburden all this because her life had had a drastic change and not even a day had gone by since she met Carol.

Genevieve was wandering through her kitchen in only a shirt and boxer, her hair totally disheveled as if she had awakened not long ago, her appearance clearly showing that not only Therese and Carol had had a ‘fun’ night. “What is it?” She drank half of the cup of coffee after asking the question.

“I’m … I got married.” She stiffened, waiting for the ruthless interrogation.

But the way her friend reacted was not what Therese expected. Genevieve only raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Why are you telling me something I already know?”

“What?!” Therese’s perplexity was amusing for Genevieve but she could only frown at her friend raising her voice.

“We were there … Dannie, Phil and I. You invited us because you needed witnesses.” This time she placed two pills on her tongue before taking another gulp.

Therese buried her head in her hands, groaning. “Why didn’t you stop me?”

“I didn’t know it was necessary. You have to see it from my perspective … you were the one happily coming to ask us to go with you because you were going to marry the most magnificent woman you have ever seen. Your words, not mine,” she added when Therese looked at her in surprise. “And we were already too heavy in alcohol to think straight.”

“You don’t even need alcohol to not think straight.” She couldn’t help to tease, making Genevieve snort. “How do you even remember what I said?”

“When Phil lost his money in the casino, he started to record with my cell phone to entertain himself.” She shrugged.

Therese looked around. “Where is your phone?” She was already on her feet before Genevieve ended up pointing to the bedroom’s direction. When she came back to the kitchen, her friend was refilling her cup but she didn’t pay much attention since she was going through the woman’s videos. “You really need to delete a few of these or save them in some other place,” she grumbled after sliding her fingers for more than four times, not reaching the end yet.

“Married life hasn’t suited you, honey?” she said sarcastically.

Therese ignored her entirely, finally reaching the end, watching three videos with the previous day’s date. She clicked the first one as she took a seat on the coffee table of the living room. There wasn’t anything interesting for her to see in the first one since it was a pointless recording of the casino place, although, she had to admit it was impressive that Phil had managed to not record a single person in that one. The second one showed a Genevieve complaining about being the center of Phil’s attention before the camera focused on Dannie who momentarily covered the lens with his hand. Their drunkenness obvious to anyone who saw them.

Therese listened to her voice before she saw herself, Phil changing the direction of the camera to take her and she was amazed at the fact that she didn’t actually look drunk, unless someone could actually get drunk in excitement because that’s exactly how she looked with a beaming smile, ending their friends’ fun, eagerly asking them to follow her, not accepting a no for an answer. During a few seconds, the only thing it could be seen was the blurry motion of the floor as the group walked through the casino but Therese’s voice could be heard and she got the confirmation of Genevieve’s words about Carol right from her mouth.

That flustered her for some reason but instead of dwelling in it, she clicked on the last video. However, what she saw, didn’t help to calm her flusteredness since it was a video of the wedding. “Oh my god,” she whispered in shock, almost dropping the phone when she and Carol kissed, not wanting to believe that what she felt was a wave of disappointment for not remembering that particular moment. This time she pressed stop before the video was over, too overwhelmed to keep going.

“What?” Therese startled, not aware of when her friend had taken a seat next to her.

“It’s just … I don’t know, part of me still thought it was a fabricated memory and not actually real.” She looked down at Genevieve’s phone. “But there’s proof that I’m actually married.”

“Well, it was a drunken mistake, I don’t know if that can counts. I mean, with the annulment I’m sure you will get it will be as if never happened.” She shrugged.

This was the moment Therese was dreading the most, perhaps Genevieve hadn’t been surprised by the fact she was married but she would definitely be out of her mind once she told her what she was going to do. “About that …” she took a deep breath, brushing her hair with her left hand but before she could explain to her friend how she and Carol would proceed with this situation, Genevieve interrupted her.

“Why are you wearing that?” There was a particular edge in her voice that confused Therese, who was about to ask what she was referring to when she noticed Genevieve’s eyes following the movement of her arm as she placed it on her lap.

Therese knew what her friend was talking about now since the shimmering ring was impossible to miss in her pale hands. “That’s what I was trying to explain to you before you interrupted me.” She took another deep breath, this time hurrying to talk before there was another interruption.

To say Genevieve was perplexed was an understatement and she didn’t hold back in sharing her opinion as she stood up. “This is the most stupid thing you could do and you married while you were drunk! Are you sure you are sober?” She frowned, contemplating her friend, who was opening her mouth to defend herself. “Therese, you don’t even know her! For all you know, she could be some sort of sociopath.”

She rolled her eyes. “You are overreacting.” She lifted a hand to stop Genevieve from talking, who huffed but accepted to go with it. “Look, I know I don’t know her but she’s not forcing me to do anything I don’t want. This is something unexpected, of course it is, but what’s wrong with helping her?” The other woman only pursed her lips, cursing her friend’s good heart. “Besides, perhaps I also could take advantage of this situation,” she whispered sheepishly.

Only with her best friend, she would admit that this idea had been swirling her mind since she agreed to stay married. Therese sincerely wondered if it had been in her subconscious all the time and that’s why she accepted Carol’s proposal without making a big deal about it. Genevieve stopped looking frustrated, curiosity taking the best of her and she sat back next to Therese, who smiled amusedly at how easy it was to divert Genevieve’s emotions before getting down to business because, in a way, it also affected her friend.

 

* * *

 

Carol looked through the cab’s window in confusion, pulling out her cell phone to confirm this was the right address because they weren’t in front of a house or an apartment building but of a two-door garage that seemed abandoned. It was already dark, barely just a few minutes ago she had decided to leave Abby’s house during the sundown, ignoring her friend attempts to take her but she didn’t think it would be fair for Therese to make her interact with two strangers at the same time. Carol knew she couldn’t avoid the introductions forever (though that wouldn’t stop her from trying) but the last she could do was try to create some sort of relationship with Therese so at least she could feel like there was someone on her side when that happened.

At Therese’s request, Carol sent her a message telling her she was there as the taxi driver got out of the car to unload the things from the trunk. Carol pressed a kiss on Rindy’s head before following suit, the baby happily settled in the carrier so her mother could have her arms free, looking at the surroundings in wonder. Just as Carol was paying the man, thanking him for his service, one of the garage doors started to lift automatically and before it was entirely up, Therese ducked to come out. The young woman smiled at the newcomer but neither said a word. Carol observed as she bent to pick the non-wheeled suitcases and waited until Carol took the rest of the things to walk their way to the garage.

Carol gasped when she got a glimpse of Therese’s house, completely different from the outside. It was an extremely spacious place with wooden floor with the exception of the little space of concrete where the car was parked which was in front of the other door. Carol had never imagined the possibility that a garage could work as someone’s home but now that she facing the concept she could see how practical it could be. Therese admired how mother and daughter look around in awe, becoming acquainted with the place that would be their house for the next months and she couldn’t help herself.

“Honey, you are home,” she singsonged jokingly.

Carol turned her head to look at her and Therese stiffened when she didn’t receive the reaction she was expecting but after a moment, Carol started to smile, letting out a soft chuckle, as if only then she had caught the joke. “Why, thank you, darling.”

“As you can see, we don’t need to move from here to make the tour.” She pointed to the left side with a hand where there was a medium modern kitchen with a dining room that matched. “All the food-related is right there.” She then moved her arm to the right where there was a mix of a living and game room. “For your entertainment.” She lowered her arm. “The bedroom and master bathroom are upstairs.”

Carol had seen the stairs, it was hard to miss them when they were right in the middle but she hadn’t noticed that they guided to a loft. “Your place is nice.”

Therese smiled sheepishly. “Thank you. It’s very simple, I’m still working on getting everything I want in here and it might be odd to live in a garage but I love it.”

“It’s very original.” She cooed Rindy since the baby was getting impatient to be released from her imprisonment. “This might sound strange coming from me but I think it’s very you.”

“Are you saying that I’m simple and odd?” she joked, smiling a little as she raised an eyebrow.

But Carol was totally serious when she spoke. “I’m saying it’s very unique.”

Therese was grateful that Carol didn’t wait to see her reaction, focusing in getting Rindy out of the carrier, missing the way her face reddened. “Uhm, so … make yourself at home.” She shifted from one leg to the other. “I’m going to take your suitcases upstairs.” She had taken the decision that Carol and Rindy would take the bed.

“Therese, that’s not necessary, I can stay on the couch and one of these things,” she signaled to the things she had carried now resting against the piece of concrete that separated the garage doors, “is a portable crib for Rindy.”

“I would feel better if you take the bed,” she said sincerely.

Carol bit her lip uncomfortably. “I’m already imposing my presence in your life to take even more from you.”

“You are not taking anything when I’m offering. Look, Carol,” she hastened to add, interrupting the woman’s protest. “I actually want to talk with you about something. I know you feel guilty thinking you are taking advantage of me but-” she cut herself off, realizing that the garage door was still open. She felt the other woman’s gaze following her as she walked to the control panel to press the button to close it and when she turned to face her, she cleared her throat when their eyes locked. “You want something to drink or whatever before we have this conversation?” It was silly to feel like a bad hostess when Carol was not precisely just a guest but she couldn’t ignore that sensation.

Carol shook her head. “But I would appreciate if I could heat Rindy’s bottle.” When Therese nodded, she tried (in vain) to take the carrier off still holding the baby. “Dammit … ugh, Therese, could you …?” The young woman got closer before she could finish her request.

Therese didn’t make eye contact while Carol handed Rindy to her, not wanting her to see her nervousness. She pursed her lips as she took her, at first as if she was holding a ball ─ away from her but when the little girl complained, Therese put her closer to her, a little unsure because in her twenty-two years she had never held a baby. She sighed relieved when Rindy’s complains stopped, able to see Carol pulling out a feeding bottle of the diaper bag that only until now she noticed was carrying as a backpack. Therese was surprised when Carol didn’t attempt to retrieve her daughter once she had what she needed, making her way to the kitchen instead.

It took Therese a moment to follow her, watching as Carol opened the doors of the lower countertops until she found where the pots were, taking one to place it on the stove. Therese sat in a chair, placing Rindy over the table, keeping her arms next to her and her hands on the baby’s back. She seemed incapable to tear her gaze away for some reason, the confidence Carol excluded at the moment, resulting captivating. The same confidence that made Therese stay with her after meeting her because it enhanced her to want the same thing the woman wanted at that moment.

Her appearance didn’t help at all ─ Therese was actually surprised that she had been functional in Carol’s presence for so long but she supposed that the anxiety had been bigger and that it was the reason she couldn’t focus on anything else beyond blaming herself for all this. But now that they had an agreement, Therese could feel the same attraction she felt the first time she saw Carol. As a photographer, she was used to beauty and Carol fit every parameter but at the same time, there was something that made her entirely different from all the models that never caught her attention: that she didn’t seem aware of how beautiful she truly was.

A soft pat on her arm pulled her out of her reverie, finally causing to turn her eyes away from Carol. Looking down, Therese found big eyes flaring with curiosity and she almost laughed when there was an adorable tilt of the head. “Hey,” she whispered, hoping that Carol wasn’t listening. “I know I’m a stranger to you but I hope we can get along.” Rindy blinked lazily as if she was pondering about her options before she smiled, raising her arms towards her.

When Carol turned around to join them, Rindy had placed her hands on Therese’s cheeks, kneading at the skin, making the young woman chuckle at her inspection. A tender smile curved her lips before she could stop herself. “What do you want to talk about?” she asked once she took a seat in the extreme of the table, at Therese’s right, in front of her. Rindy’s attention was drawn by Carol’s voice and soon enough she was stretching her arms to be picked up by her mother, who settled her comfortably in her arms to start feeding her.

Therese stretched, watching how Rindy put her hands over Carol’s fingers, sighing contentedly as she began to suck. “I realized that perhaps I could also take advantage of our situation.” Carol stopped looking at Rindy to raise a questioning eyebrow in Therese’s direction. “As you know I work for a magazine and the Cannes Film Festival is coming. My friends, don’t know if you remember them, and I work together and we want to be the lucky ones send to do the coverage.”

Carol nodded. “I still don’t understand how I could help you with that though.” Because it wasn’t like she counted with influences of some kind.

Therese inhaled deeply, not allowing the hesitation to overpower her. “My boss, he … is a family person and I’m pretty sure that he has a slight favoritism to the employees with a family. So ...” she cleared her throat for a moment but Carol finished for her.

“You want us to play the part.”

Therese was apprehensive of looking at Carol once she spoke the words but she forced herself to make eye contact while she confirmed it. “Actually, it would only be one time ─ there’s an important event coming in a few months and if you accept to do this, I would like you to go with me. My friends and I would take care of the talking about us during work so it doesn’t seem too unexpected and out of nowhere,” she hurried to explain, hands fidgeting at the unknown.

However, it appeared that Carol wasn’t even pondering the situation since there was a soft smile on her lips, the tension she had been feeling since she felt she had put Therese in an impossible position, vanishing. “Of course I will help you, Therese. I think that it’s fair that you win something from this too.” There was nothing but sincerity in her voice and her shoulders sagged in relief now that both of them were in the same position of needing something from the other.


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn’t difficult for them to get used to the other woman’s presence in the following weeks. The fact this wasn’t the first time they shared a place with someone made it easier though Therese supposed it wasn’t fair to compare this with the couple of months she lived with Dannie until her friend found his own place. The most notorious difference, as expected, was Rindy; and at first, Therese worried that it would be a change that she would have to be forced to endure because there wasn’t any other option instead of getting used to it. But the little girl was often quiet, even during nights ─ if she woke up, her whimpers never turned into full cries. Therese deduced that Carol had a lot to do with that but either way it helped her to get used to what her life had become.

In fact, it turned out to be incredulously surprising how fast it was for Therese to feel some sort of normality whenever she came home after working hours, finding the place warmly inhabited. During the first couple of weeks, they acted like roommates, mostly communicating with smiles and nods but once Carol learned her scheduled, Therese often found dinner ready for her. The first time she was so taken aback that she could do nothing but claim that she had already eaten, even when it was a lie, but she was too overwhelmed by Carol taking care of her in such way that she didn’t know how to react.

The following day, the same thing happened but before Therese could lie, Carol politely asked her to join her, as if it was an invitation she could reject. Which it was a possibility, but after seeing the uncertainty in Carol’s eyes, rejecting her was the last thing Therese could ever do. After that day, they always had dinner together, beginning to share what they had done for the day, increasing the comfortableness between them, Therese making sure to keep Carol up to date since the moment she and her team had started to talk about their relationship around the office ─ always between them but making sure to do it whenever the gossipers were close.

However, today seemed to be an exception. Therese was peacefully sleeping on the couch when she was jolted awake by a loud cry. In her drowsy state, it took her a moment to realize it was Rindy the cause of it. She remained lying down, trying to go back to sleep because she was certain that Carol, who was currently hushing the baby softly, as if she had Therese in consideration, was going to be able to calm her in the next moment but nothing happened and as seconds went by, Therese was able to feel Carol’s anxiety even when there was a lot of distance separating them.

Slightly worried, Therese stood up, not thinking twice as she headed to the stairs to make her way upstairs, making soft noise in purpose to not take the other woman by surprise. When she got to the bedroom, she saw Carol strolling from one side to the other, Rindy still crying in her arms. She remained silent until Carol turned around and could see her. “Is everything okay?”

“I’m so sorry for waking you,” she said instead of answering Therese’s question, feeling guilty when she distinguished the sleepiness in the other woman’s voice.

“Don’t worry about it.” She was sincere, giving a few steps in Carol’s direction but hesitating since the woman had disregarded the question. “What’s wrong?”

“She’s teething and is fussy because of it.” Carol sighed, feeling powerless at the moment.

Feeling more secure now that Carol answered, Therese finished to make her way to them. “Can I help you in some way?” Her heart broke when Rindy looked up at her, eyes filled with tears and cheeks wetted.

“It’s okay … tomorrow I’ll go to the pharmacy to buy the things I require.” There was nothing but resignation in her stance.

“What do you need?” Therese asked with determination, wanting to disappear the suffering from Rindy and the anxiety from Carol.

“Therese-” she was interrupted before she could protest.

“What do you need, Carol?” she repeated, her tone making clear that she wouldn’t accept a rejection.

Carol looked at the young woman with amazement before answering. “A teething ring for her to chew and a pain relief for her age in case that doesn’t help.” She had talked with Rindy’s pediatrician about it in her last visit, wanting to be ready for whenever it happened. She couldn’t help to feel like a bad mother for failing in that.

Therese nodded and without saying a word, she went to her closet to pull out white pants with a matching sweatshirt. Carol couldn’t help to be distracted by that because Therese had taken the habit to take a night shower and gather her clothes for the next day before they went to sleep, noticing that the young woman had been only wearing a long t-shirt that reached mid-thigh. For a moment she felt entirely captivated by the woman getting dressed, watching her as she put the pants on but she forced herself to look away when she felt her face getting warmed as her eyes followed Therese’s hands pulling the waistband up, her arms pushing the shirt up, revealing her underwear.

Carol sat on the edge of the bed, placing Rindy on her lap, her daughter’s whimpers making her feel even more terrible for checking the other woman out in this particular moment. Flexing her index finger, Carol touched Rindy under her lower lip with her knuckle and the baby immediately opened her mouth to start chewing and sucking at it. Carol smiled, relieved that the action seemed to help to calm her daughter though Rindy was applying enough force to let her know that her finger would be sore after a few minutes.

“All right.” Therese’s voice joined to the suctions Rindy was making, getting closer to them as she zipped the sweatshirt. “Teething ring and pain relief for a six-month-old baby.” Carol felt her heart fluttering at the fact that Therese remembered Rindy’s age. “Anything else?” When Carol shook her head no, Therese leaned down, not thinking as she kissed Carol’s head and ran her hand over Rindy’s in a soothing way. “I’ll be back soon.”

As Therese turned her back to them to leave, she missed the way Carol followed her with her eyes, with a surprise that quickly disappeared as a soft smile began to curve her lips.

 

* * *

 

Not long had passed when Carol, who was now lying back on the bed with Rindy next to her, still chewing her knuckles, listened the automatic mechanism of one of the garage doors to give way to Therese’s car. Rindy had fallen asleep a couple of times during the young woman’s absence, with Carol’s knuckle in her mouth, waking every time after a few minutes due to the uncomfortableness she was feeling, chewing eagerly because even if momentarily, helped her with it. Carol was already sensitive but not even for a second she thought about taking away the comfort from her daughter ─ the only time she had tried (and it had been only to use a different finger), Rindy had screamed in complaint, clutching to her finger with impressionable strength.

Carol listened to the hurried steps on the first floor but she frowned slightly when they didn’t head directly to the stair but farther away. The sound of the refrigerator opening and closing almost right away answered one of her questions but before she could even attempt to straighten herself to go and see what was going on, there was a soft jogging heading back, this time finally climbing the stairs. Carol turned her head in time to saw Therese appearing, slightly out of breath, one of her arms wrapped around a paper bag.

“I bought two teething rings because the pharmacist said that the cold could help so one of them it’s in the freezer, in the meantime, you can use the normal one.” As she walked towards the bed, she was ruffling inside the bag with her other hand. “Here.” She offered Carol the other one but before she could notice the woman couldn’t take it since she was using one arm to support her head and the other hand was still held by Rindy, she was backtracking her hand to open the product on her own, giving it back once she was done.

Carol looked the hand stretched in her direction before looking at Therese’s eyes. “Could you ...?” she looked back at Rindy to show that she couldn’t take the object on her own.

“Oh shoot! Of course, I’m sorry.” After leaving the bag over the bed, close for any of them to reach, Therese sat over her own leg at Rindy’s feet, leaning until she could rest her elbow on her knee so her forearm could keep going down so she could brush the baby’s lip with the ring, resting her other hand next to the small body.

Carol was looking at her daughter until the young woman draw her attention when she giggled the moment Rindy freed her finger, quickly latching onto the toy, seeming to chew more energetically now that there wasn’t any kind of impediment for it. “Nice to know I’m replaceable for her,” she joked, rubbing her finger that was slightly red. When Therese looked at her, giggling once again, Carol’s joking expression morphed into one full of appreciation. “Thank you so much for this.”

“It’s nothing, Carol, a pleasure to help you, really.” She smiled sincerely.

“It’s not nothing, we interrupted your sleep and then you willingly offered to go in the middle of the night to fetch what I needed.” She frowned. “I should have been ready for this way long before it happened.”

Therese rolled her eyes but Carol was more concerned about her failure to notice. “Come on, don’t be like that. Give yourself a break, so much has been going on in your life for you to be fairly distracted.”

“But she’s supposed to be my priority.” She tried to hold back a pout.

“And she is! Carol …” She shifted her body without raising from the bed to address the woman. “You are not a bad mother for this, come on. You dealt with a nasty divorce and for so long you were so unsure of your future. Then you married a complete stranger,” she gave a tiny smile, “but now that you have a certain support it’s pretty normal to lower your defenses because of it. You are not a bad person, much less a bad mother for that.”

Therese moved her hand with all the intention to reassuringly pat Carol’s but it was in that moment when she recalled what she had done before leaving ─ the tender kiss she pressed against Carol’s head. Her eyes widened in shock and she diverted them away from the woman, feeling the warmness traveling over her face but she didn’t flee the scene because that would only look more suspicious, preferring to clear her throat. “So … no more silliness of that kind, okay?” She stretched herself slowly. “I know our marriage is not real but for these months, you are not alone so you can count on me.”

Carol didn’t think much about the sudden awkwardness that Therese was exhibiting, especially when she didn’t attempt to leave, wanting to reassure her until the end. “Thank you, Therese, I really appreciate it. And I hope you know the same goes for you.”

The young woman nodded with a timid smile before diverting to a neutral topic. “Will you give her the medicine or you think the ring would be enough for the night?”

“I will give her the medicine so we can’t get some sleep.” She moved to reach for the bag and pull out the bottle without raising herself from her position but she had to end up sitting once it was time to reach for Rindy.

Therese, wordlessly, stretched a hand in Carol’s direction so the woman gave her the bottle and could grab her daughter, stretching to grab the bag, quickly dipping her hand to pull out the last item that was in it. “Uhm, I saw it and I imagined it would be easier to give her the medicine with this,” Therese explained when Carol glanced at the box in her hand ─ a liquid medicine dispenser containing a syringe and a pacifier that could be attached to it.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” Carol said in an almost bashful tone.

This time Therese didn’t answer, deciding to open the box to get everything ready. There was a fleeting thought in Carol’s mind that she should be the one dealing with this on her own, but she couldn’t stop looking at the other woman, feeling a sensation of warmness washing her over at not being alone in this. It wasn’t fair to think in that way when in reality she had never been alone. She might have never count on the man who helped to create her adoration but she could always count on Abby. Though Carol never allowed her to get involved in Rindy’s care because she was her daughter and she should be the one dealing with her raising. But in Therese’s case, it was like she wanted to help Carol and not looking to have some sort of input when it came to the way she dealt with things.

“You want me to give it to her? I think she would be calmer if she’s in your arms for this.” Therese wasn’t looking at her yet, extracting the right amount of medicine through the syringe to then swirl the pacifier in its place.

Carol blinked for a moment, slightly lost after wandering in her thoughts. She found Therese’s eyes on her, watching her with curiosity and she cleared her throat. “Yes, I guess that’s a good idea.” She bent a leg under the other, creating a spot in her lap where she placed Rindy, softly bouncing her bent leg to keep her calm.

When Therese moved closer, Carol took the teething ring, waiting for a moment before forcing it out from her daughter’s grasp but before Rindy could complain about it, the young woman was already approaching the dispenser so she could take the pacifier in her mouth. Both women held their breaths, waiting for the baby’s reaction, exhaling in relief when she chewed at it without a problem but only until she started to suckle it was when Therese pushed the plunger. Rindy didn’t make a fuss at all but after drinking all the medicine and the pacifier was pulled out of her mouth, she made the most adorable disgusting expression, her tongue coming out of her mouth once and again as if she was trying to put something out of it, frowning offended, making the adults laugh.

Therese straightened herself to stood up, gathering the used things from the bed to place them on the dresser so they didn’t interfere when Carol, who kissed her daughter’s head, giving her back the ring before looking at her, went back to lie down. “You don’t have to do that, you have already done enough for us tonight.”

Therese eyed her through narrowed eyes. “What did we talked just a few minutes ago?”

 _Right_. The fact that she could count on her. With an apologetic smile, Carol nodded, standing up when she noticed Rindy rubbing her eyes with her free hand. Placing her back in her portable crib that was in front of the bed, Carol rested a hand over the baby’s chest, caressing it to lull her back to sleep. Therese paused what she was doing when she listened to Carol humming to look at her direction. Only the light from the nightstand lamp was on and from the way Carol was standing, Therese could only see her profile but even like that, she could see ─ though she supposed it was more that she could _feel_ it ─ the unconditional love the woman had for her child, making her heart skip a beat when she saw the most affectionate smile beginning to curve her lips. It wasn’t really surprising to witness this after Carol decided to stay married to a stranger only to procure something for her daughter but it still was beautiful to see such kind of love.

Carol turned around after a couple of minutes once Rindy fell asleep, finding Therese still looking at her. The young woman blushed but she didn’t try to pretend she wasn’t doing what she had been caught doing. The fact that Carol’s smile was now directed to her, not even wavering for a second, made Therese’s heart quicken its rhythm, making her unable to move as the woman headed in her direction. But Carol didn’t do or said anything to her, sitting on the edge of the bed to elegantly lie down under the covers in the next moment. Therese took that gesture as a dismissal but after the first step she took, she was held by the wrist.

She looked down at her arm first, looking Carol’s fingers wrapped around her wrist, to then look at the woman in confusion. “Stay,” Carol whispered as an explanation but Therese must have been wearing the most bewilderment look because she continued after a moment. “After waking you and sending you out in the middle of the night, the last thing I could do is letting you sleep well, in the bed and not the couch.” Therese opened her mouth to refuse because it wasn’t necessary at all but with the next words Carol said, she knew she couldn’t. “Please, it would make me feel better.”

How would Therese be able to deny her when Carol’s tone was so sheepish? Almost as if she was afraid to be rejected. “All right, if you are sure.”

Carol’s smile was all the confirmation Therese need. She was about to walk towards the other side when Carol backslid to give up her space for her, throwing back the covers without letting them go entirely so she could get under. The young woman ran a hand through her hair after sitting on the bed, deciding to take the sweatshirt off, letting it fall onto the floor before taking her place. There was nothing but the soft sounds when Carol drew the covers over her but Therese was sure that anybody would be able to hear the way her heart was beating when Carol, who was propping up in an arm, placed the other over her belly, looking down at her, moving a little bit closer.

“You are probably sick of hearing this but … I need to thank you once again for everything you have done for me.” It was clear that she wasn’t referring just to this day. However, before Therese could say something, Carol leaned down to place a kiss on the corner of her mouth, leaving her only able to gasp.

When their eyes met, Therese managed to smile a little, in an attempt to conceal how flustered she was. “It’s nice to be able to help you.”

Carol smiled, her eyes briefly gazing down at Therese’s lips, who held her breath, afraid that the imperceptible movement of her shirt revealed how accelerated her heart was. “Go back to sleep now, you have to go to work in a few hours.” Therese was expecting Carol to move and take the other side but she almost whimpered when the woman rested her head on her shoulder. “Does this bother you?”

It was clear that she was asking because Therese had stiffened at the unexpected action but as seconds went by, she relaxed, allowing herself to enjoy the warming sensation of the body. “No … no.” Slowly, a little bit shyly, she dared to place an arm around Carol’s shoulders as she leaned her head against the other. “You are perfect.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Therese.” The aforementioned didn’t pay attention. “Therese!”

Startling, Therese looked around to find their team looking at her with confusion and exasperation. Totally understandable since they were in the middle of a photoshoot and the photographer had stopped in the middle of taking a picture, still with the camera pointing in front of her face. She blushed at the unwanted attention, going back to her work but her mind was so far away from there. As she snapped pictures, all she could think about was waking up with Carol. It had been the best sleep of her life and the waking up had been so much better.

At some point during the night, they had shifted positions with Therese spooning Carol and even when she only noticed such fact until she awoke, she had been lucky enough to do it first to enjoy a few minutes of the nearness, of her chest pressed against Carol’s back, her arm over her hip and their intertwined fingers … most likely Therese would never know who had been the one doing it, but the sensation of puzzle pieces fitting was so intense that it was enough to make her heart melt.

But the best part came after Rindy began to whimper, waking Carol in the next second. For some reason, Therese pretended to be asleep although the other woman didn’t even blink at their hug, barely opening one eye when Carol got out the bed, observing her picking the baby out of the crib, placing her on her chest and kissing her temple, immediately calming her down. Still drowsy, Carol went back to bed, taking advantage of the few minutes she could have before Rindy demanded her milk. She laid down to be able to put the baby on her chest, closing her eyes as if she was going to go back to sleep, although the soft motions of her hand stroking her daughter’s back pointed that she didn’t.

Therese didn’t even realize the moment she stopped faking, enthralled by mother and daughter just like the night before. Once Rindy started crying, Carol turned to her left side, prompting upon her arm, facing Therese but without looking at her or giving any sign that she was aware the young woman was awake. After placing the baby on the mattress, Carol lowered the strap of the nightgown to her elbow, uncovering her breast and positioning her daughter in the right way so she was able to latch on to the nipple when she noticed it was near. Therese couldn’t help to look down, admiring the alabaster skin, feeling her face going warm as her eyes swept the curves of the body, even when there was nothing sexual in her visual appreciation, but it was overwhelming to know that Carol felt comfortable enough to do something so intimate in her presence, causing her stomach to flutter.

When Therese raised her gaze, Carol’s eyes were on her which made her blush increase and her first impulse was to bolt out of the bed just like she did when they found out they were married. However, before she could put herself in motion, Carol smiled at her fondly, reassuring her that she hadn’t crossed a line, making Therese smiled back right away, even if a little shyly, able to breathe relaxedly. But in the next second, she froze in surprise when Carol leaned down towards her, giving her a soft peck on the lips that barely last a couple of seconds.

It took Carol an effort not to laugh when she pulled back and noticed the awestruck expression in Therese’s features, fascinated by the fact that even with the widened eyes and open mouth she managed to look beautiful. After a moment of silence and no change in the young woman, self-consciousness started to crawl upon her, making her think that perhaps she had misread Therese's reactions, confusing politeness with attraction because Carol couldn’t- _didn’t_ want to deny she was attracted to her and that since the night before she had wanted to kiss her (hell, since they started to spend time together, talking and inadvertently knowing each other better) but that didn’t mean it was reciprocated.

Carol looked down at Rindy, clearing her throat. “I’m sorry, I-“ She licked her lips, taking a breath before trying again.

But before having the opportunity to speak again, Therese, careful of the baby between them, softly moved towards Carol, pressing their lips back together, enjoying the simple pressure that caused a strong reaction that made them shiver with delight before moving her lips in a series of tender pecks, never separating their lips. After knowing there was a video of them kissing, Therese hadn’t been able to keep her curiosity at bay, seeing it after a few days of them living together as she laid on the couch unable to sleep. It was mesmerizing the way they seemed so into each other during that moment — nobody would be able to imagine they were stranger for the way they synchronized their movements, for the intimate way they embraced, as if they were afraid to let go. It was a little embarrassing, which why Therese would probably never talk about it but she had lost the count of how many times she had seen the video by now.

Coming back to the present, Therese looked around to verify nobody was looking at her, afraid that someone would guess what she was thinking about by simply fixating their gaze on her, feeling proud of herself for being capable of working during her daydreaming. At least after her little misstep. She nodded at the models she was working with, a sign that they were done. While the rest of the team dealt with their responsibilities (Genevieve helping the models to change and clean the makeup she had previously put on them off their faces, Phil carefully putting away the equipment the had been used) Therese walked towards Dannie, who was waiting behind her desk. When she was close enough, he stretched an arm with a smile and the woman placed her camera on his hand. She took a seat next to him, watching him connecting the camera to the computer so they could go over her work.

“Are you okay?” he finally asked after a moment of silence.

Therese glanced at him before looking at the screen. “Yeah, why you ask?” She leaned forward, placing her elbow on the desk to rest her chin on her hand.

“When you work, that’s your only focus and earlier you were somewhere else.” He didn’t look at her, starting to click to see the pictures she had taken.

“It was a long night.” Which was true but not the reason for her abstraction.

He nodded in understanding. “I imagine it’s quite different of the time you and I lived together.”

She turned her head to look at him, always finding hilarious that he always looked over his glasses when he worked but he never took them off. “You mean because of Rindy?” When he agreed, she looked back to the screen. “Well, it’s different but not in a bad way. She’s a good baby.” She pointed towards the screen with her other hand. “I like this one.”

Dannie marked the photo before marking others he liked. “So you have been getting along with Carol?”

The memories of the kiss took priority once again, making Therese move the fingers of the hand she was resting her head on, hoping to cover her blush. “Yeah, of course. She’s a good person.” She was trying to sound impersonal.

“You know what we have been thinking about?” He ignored Therese’s anxious ‘ _we?_ ’ “That perhaps all of us should go out and you should bring her, you know, to know if it’s going to work the whole pretending to be a married couple.”

“Oh my god, you guys have discussed this without me?” She placed her other arm on the desk to be able to hide her face on her hands.

“You can’t blame us, T, you can be very detached when you don’t like someone. The world can tell. With the exception of the oblivious Richard.” He snorted amusedly.

Therese couldn’t help but snort too though during that period, it had been hellish to be pursued by a man that couldn’t take a no for an answer. Luckily, the day she had lost the patient and threatened him with a restraining order, he had stopped. “Anyway. You guys don’t have anything to worry about, it will be okay.” She didn’t even think that such affirmation would sound odd after she admitted her worries to her friends when she told them Carol agreed to help them achieve their dream.

Dannie turned his head to look at her. “How can you be so-?” Therese was convinced that she didn’t move a single muscle but nevertheless, her friend saw something in her that made him shriek with surprise. “Something happened between you two!”

It was tempting to lie but the fact that she was a terrible liar convinced her that trying would be a waste of time. “We kissed this morning.” She couldn’t stop the little smile that appeared on her lips.

“That’s why you have been so distracted!” He clapped as if he found out everything on his own and Therese hadn’t just revealed the reason.

“Yeah, well …” She shrugged.

Before Dannie could question her about it, Genevieve and Phil joined them, each one sitting at one end of the desk “So, are you going to tell us what’s on your mind?” Genevieve asked while looking at Therese.

“I will, I will! I know!” Dannie answered, not giving the young woman the chance to open her mouth.

“My brother, the freaking detective,” Phil mocked him.

Therese didn’t even get the chance to say she had told him when the young man blurted out the words as if nobody said anything. “Carol and Therese kissed!”

Suddenly, all eyes were on her, again, making her blush for being the spotlight. It was like being in high school and her friends discovered she had given her first kiss. Nobody said a word for a beat but in the next, Genevieve was asking all kind of questions that made Therese roll her eyes but she answered every single one of them. “So what, now you are going to make the marriage real?” Phil asked, scratching the back of his head.

“My brother, the stupid,” Dannie mocked him in revenge.

“What? No! It was only a kiss.” Therese didn’t make eye contact with anybody when she said that. “All right, a few but that doesn’t mean we suddenly are going to be in a relationship.”

“But you are attracted to her.” Dannie nudged her softly.

“I think anyone with eyes would be attracted to her,” Therese defended herself nonchalantly.

Her three friends denied her claim. “Don’t get us wrong, she’s an attractive woman,” Genevieve hurried to clarify when Therese looked almost offended, “but she’s not our type.” The two men nodded at her words.

“The point is,” Therese went back to the topic at hand, “a few kisses don’t make us a real couple.” No matter the fact they had done it after getting out of the bed and when it was time to say goodbye for the day.

 

* * *

 

Abby slowly raised her head from the book she was reading to distract herself as she waited, when she felt a presence, smiling when she saw her friend. “How’s the love of my life?”

“Abby please, I’m a married woman,” Carol joked, maneuvering to leave the diaper bag she always took with her whenever they went out on the chair, having to hold her daughter with only one arm.

The woman snorted. “You wished I was talking to you,” she counterattacked with sass, standing from her chair, reaching her arms towards her friend to pick Rindy. “I was talking to this beautiful and perfect creature.” She kissed the baby’s head, closing her eyes as she smelled the addictive scent.

Carol rolled her eyes with a smile. “That’s because you don’t have to deal with her now that she’s teething and she’s the tiniest biting devil you can imagine.”

“Oh, that explains this.” She held Rindy’s hand with which she was holding the teething ring, going back to take her seat.

“Yes, she got fussy in the middle of the night. It was necessary to buy those and medicine.” She followed her friend’s action, sitting in front of her.

“Poor baby.” She kissed the baby’s temple this time. When she digested Carol’s words, she looked at her with shock. “You went out with her in the middle of the night?”

“Of course not!” she whispered outrageously. What kind of mother would she be if she was wandering in this city with her baby so late in the night?

“Mmm, I guess it makes sense you take advantage of the fact that someone can babysit when it’s necessary.” Though not really because Carol could be a mama bear when it came to Rindy. Even when they had been living together for a couple of months, that didn’t mean that Therese had already earned her trust.

“Not really … Therese offered to go and buy those things to help me.” She gazed away from her friend, searching for a waiter to order a coffee.

Abby was looking down at her goddaughter, not minding the drool on her fingers since she was still holding her hand but she raised her head to address her friend. “You don’t trust her to look after her?”

Carol scowled. “Of course I do, she’s amazing with Rindy and you know my daughter it’s a great judge of character and I told you that since the very first moment they clicked, Rindy was fascinated by her.” Like mother like daughter. “Besides, if I didn’t trust Therese with her, we wouldn’t be there.”

“So why she offered to go? Is she awkward with kids?” Carol couldn’t blame the curiosity since she hadn’t introduced them.

“I don’t know if she is, but she isn’t with Rindy. And to answer your other question, I can only guess because I didn’t ask her, but I think she noticed my anxiety and Rindy’s and deduced that neither of us would be calm if we separated in that instant.” They were interrupted when a waiter finally arrived to take their lunch order.

“That’s really nice of her.” Abby resumed their conversation once he left.

“You always say that when I tell you about something that happened.” But she smiled tenderly.

“Well, she is.” She shrugged. “You have to understand me, you were going to live with a complete stranger and it was a little worrisome. So it’s very good to know that you and Rindy are living with a nice person.”

Carol nodded, staring at her daughter that was currently nibbling her little fist until Abby drew her attention back to the teething ring. “I like her, Abby.” Her friend gazed at her, raising one eyebrow. “In the, perhaps it wouldn’t too terrible to step into something physical while all this lasts, way.”

Abby sighed but right afterwards she chuckled. “You mean to tell me you want to consummate the marriage?”

Carol laughed, brushing back a lock of hair that was falling over her forehead. “That’s a way to put it, yeah.”

“How did that even happen? I mean, feeling attracted to her … has it always been there?” For a moment she looked away from her friend to kiss Rindy’s head when the baby leaned against her.

It was Carol’s turn to sigh. “I think so. I mean, I might have been drunk but I wouldn’t have been interested to interact with her out of nowhere if I hadn’t felt some sort of pull towards hers. And it took me all this time to be fully aware of my attraction because I was dealing with other things. Our relationship was exclusively formal since we didn’t know each other but as we did, we started to lower our guards. Yesterday she showed me a layer that I didn’t know … where most people would have been annoyed for being awakened in the middle of the night for a crying baby, she was understanding and helpful, wanting to ease my anxiety and Rindy’s.”

Taking advantage that they waiter arrived with their food, Abby pondered the woman’s words. She didn’t want to belittle what her friend felt but she also wanted to make sure that her feelings were sincere. She knew that Carol would never manipulate someone but even a person with pure intentions could confuse gratitude with something else. Their situation was already tricky and misleading any one of the involved ones would make things so much more complicated. Abby smiled and nodded at the waiter’s direction after he told them to enjoy their meals as a thank you without making eye contact while Carol voiced the words.

“You think it’s bad?” Carol questioned once they were alone again and Abby didn’t say anything right away.

“Liking her? No, not at all.” She took her fork to take a little bit of salad. “Wanting to do something about it … you could complicate things between you two, are you aware of that? Or make things awkward if she doesn’t feel attracted to you.”

“Oh, she does,” Carol declared with a smirk.

Abby’s eyes widened. “Oh my god, what happened? Don’t tell me this is one of those revelations after they already took place.”

Carol laughed. “No! Well, it didn’t happen what you probably think, we didn’t sleep together, at least not in a sexual way.” She took a piece of bread to eat with her eggs. “I didn’t think it was fair for her to sleep on the couch after going out in the middle of the night for us so I told her to stay with me in bed.”

“And just that? Everyone stayed on their side of the bed?” she asked incredulously.

“We might have snuggled,” Carol said nonchalantly.

Abby shook her head, looking down at Rindy. “Your mother snuggling with her crush. It’s like going back to school.” The baby goofily smiled. “No, actually it’s so much worse because she had never snuggled before.”

“And in the morning we kissed, several times.” Carol had learned that it was better to let her know everything instead of letting her discovered it on her own.

Abby dropped her fork on the plate, placing her elbow on the table so she could rub her forehead with her fingers. “Oh my god, Carol. It was one of those revelations after they already took place.”

“It simply happened, Abby, it wasn’t like I planned it. Only until that moment I confirmed Therese’s attraction, it’s not like I’ve spent everyday living with her waiting for this to happen.” She was frowning but her features softened once she sighed. “I have been so on edge the last months of my life that I couldn’t think in anything else. So yeah, it’s great to finally reach a point where I can feel relaxed enough to enjoy something like this.”

“Don’t get me wrong, it is nice to know you are feeling better and at ease with your life. It’s just … I might not know Therese and in reality, I’m saying this for you and Rindy’s sake but I don’t want any of you to confuse things.” When she noticed Carol’s confused expression, she explained. “I don’t want you to mistake desire with gratitude or Therese taking advantage of you because she has the upper hand over you after all she has done for you.”

There was a part of Carol that understood where Abby was coming from and that she was doing it because she cared but it was upsetting nevertheless. “Abby, I’m not a child. I think I’m able to distinguish one from the other.” She was looking down at her plate, not wanting to go berserk. “Of course I’m grateful, I will be grateful for the rest of my life and I will never be able to repay what she has done for me. It’s not like I’m thinking that perhaps whoring myself would somehow repay her for her help.”

Rindy whined as if catching the sudden mood, causing Abby to softly bounce the leg she was sitting on. “Carol, that’s not what I said.”

Forgetting about her food, Carol closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead, sighing tiredly. “I know you care for Rindy and me.”

“I do, but it’s also true what you said.” She reached to place her free hand on her friend’s, waiting until she looked at her to continue. “You are not a child, you are able to make your own decisions and you know better than myself what you are feeling.”

“I just know that I want to kiss her again and touch her. I don’t want to think, Abby, I just want to feel,” she said with vulnerability. “For so long I felt either numb or despondent, and Therese’s presence makes me feel at ease. She reminds me that I’m actually someone.”

“All right, all right.” She removed her hand after a pat so they could keep eating. “Just have Therese in mind too. You are free to do whatever you want but be honest with her. Something tells me you haven’t told her this and I’m sure you don’t want her thinking that you are doing this as some sort of repayment.”

Carol’s eyes widened at that because it was something she hadn’t contemplate. She wasn’t looking to have a relationship with Therese, just to take advantage of their time together. Both were single and attracted to each other so what problem could it bring to make it physical if they were on the same page? But to know that, she needed to talk with Therese so there wasn’t any kind of confusion.

 

* * *

 

Therese was strangely nervous when she got home, blaming her friends for being the reason. After their interrogation, she had started to ask herself all kind of questions: what if Carol thought they were in a relationship? (this was easy to dismiss, belittling herself in the process) What if _she_ was the one wanting a relationship? She had been on guard since the day Carol moved in, not wanting to allow her attraction for her to show or even worse, grow. At least she had done a good job until this morning — when it came to hiding it because it was impossible to control the growing after days went by and spent more time with the woman. She didn’t regret the morning events but it was staggering that the simple fact of having Carol tearing her walls down was enough to make Therese reacted as if they had never been there in the first place.

Reaching the garage, Therese stopped with a hand in the doorknob side door, closing her eyes as she breathed deeply before opening it. The now common noises from the kitchen that indicated Carol was there, getting dinner ready, reached Therese’s ears, who slowly closed the door behind her, hoping not to make any sound. It was stupid trying to go unnoticed so the young woman didn’t even attempt to do it ─ hunging her bag on one of the hooks of the wall on the left side before heading in Carol’s direction, every step making her heart falling into an accelerated rhythm. She had no idea how to react, especially because she was in blank about what Carol expected from her ─ if she should pretend that nothing happened or address their situation once and for all, though again, she had no idea what to say about it.

Therese stopped when she was close enough to clear her throat and being listened by Carol, who straightened up, closing the oven’s door, finding the young woman rubbing the back of her neck in an awkward attitude, her eyes looking at the floor. Carol couldn’t blame her entirely, she herself felt in a position of not knowing what to do even when a few hours ago she had reached the decision to put her cards on the table, but she felt slightly bummed for being the reason of Therese’s awkwardness, especially after how close they had been in the morning. However, when she timidly lifted her head to make eye contact, Therese’s emotions took the decision for her and Carol gasped at the sudden change she could see in the woman, going from uncertainty to decisiveness, her heart somersaulting excitedly in understanding of what it meant because she was able to feel it.

In a blink, Therese zoomed to Carol, making their distance disappear. Carol raised her arms to cup the woman’s face, catching her lips in the middle at the time she felt Therese’s hand holding on to her waist, promptly sliding to hug her and pull her towards her. Carol sighed with contentment, feeling the tender lips stroking hers with devotion, smiling against them when she felt Therese doing it before parting her lips to kiss her lower one and then trap it to sucking it softly. It was impossible to pretend they didn’t want this, not after they had given the step, no matter how inadvertently had been. And when they broke apart and their shiny eyes found each other, they knew without needing to say it that they have taken the decision to take their relationship into a physical aspect.


	6. Chapter 6

Carol threw her head back, closing her eyes, giving Therese space to roam her neck with her lips in a series of kisses and nibbles whenever she got more eager. They were still in the kitchen but Carol was now half-sitting over the table with Therese in front of her, her hands placed on the table next to her body while Carol was using hers to keep the other woman close. There was nothing but this. The sensations so intense that their bodies were already quivering without needing to exchange the slightest of touches because even when their minds were already decided, they were stupidly hesitating at the fact that the other could have a change of heart the moment they touch.

It was Therese who dared to do it first, moving a hand to place it on Carol’s hip as she captured her lips again, her fingers momentarily toying with the hem of the red blouse before they ventured further. And she was stopped second laters, when she barely had the time to delight in the soft and warm skin under her fingers, not by Carol but by the oven beeping announcing the food was ready. Therese growled as she pulled back, nevertheless reciprocating the kisses the other woman was tenderly placing on her lips in an attempt to apologize for the interruption.

“Hold that thought.” She softly pushed Therese after one last kiss to be able to go down the table.

Therese ran a hand through her hair, taking a seat while her eyes followed Carol as she put the mittens to then opened the oven’s door to pull out the lasagna. “Where’s Rindy?”

“Sleeping upstairs, darling.” The young woman frowned, pulling out her cell phone to look at the hour, just then realizing that she had arrived a little more late than usual.

“Oh, I didn’t even notice it was that late.” Her attention went back to the woman that placed the container she was holding on the countertop.

Carol hummed, taking the mittens off to reach for a knife to make vertical cuts in the food and then horizontal ones. “I have to admit that I imagined you would be late today after what happened in the morning.” She smiled at the adorable ‘ _huh?_ ’ she got as an answer. “I had a feeling that you would react like the first time I made you dinner.”

Therese’s eyes widened. “You knew I was lying when I said I had dinner already?!”

Chuckling, Carol walked to the dishes cupboard to retrieve what she needed. “You are not good at lying.”

“Ugh.” She placed her arms on the table, leaning her head on the forearms dramatically. “I’m sorry about that, it’s just … there’s no excuse actually, I was just taken aback that you were so thoughtful with me.” She suddenly raised her head. “But this wasn’t because I was looking to be late on purpose, I was just distracted.”

“Due to what happened this morning?” Carol smirked when she turned to look at Therese, finding a soft blush.

“Mmm, something like that.” She was no longer looking at the woman’s face, now focusing on her actions, watching her place a piece of lasagna on a plate before repeating the action with other. “You haven’t eaten yet?”

“No, I wanted to wait for you.” Holding both plates, Carol walked to the table to leave them on it. Afterwards, she fetched a bottle of wine from the fridge and two glasses.

Therese reached for the bottle the moment it was placed on the table, struggling a bit to open it. “Sorry for making you wait, it really wasn’t my intention,” she said wholeheartedly.

Carol cupped Therese’s cheek with one hand. “I know, don’t worry about it.”

The young woman smiled softly, relishing the contact but not exteriorizing it. Once Carol moved her hand away, Therese poured the wine into the glasses so they could start eating in comfortable silence for a moment until she couldn’t keep ignoring her thoughts. “Carol …”

“Yeah?” She didn’t look at her, focused on cutting a piece of her food.

“Are we …?” She cleared her throat, taking a gulp of her wine for more impact. “Are we going to continue what we started?” When Carol looked at her with a smirk, Therese blushed but also frowned because that didn’t come out like she wanted to. She was sounding like a horndog instead of a person that asked because she wanted to know what this could mean. “I’m not asking because that’s what I want.” Just as Therese widened her eyes in the realization of what she said, Carol raised an eyebrow. “I mean, I do want to have sex with you!” The smirk in the other woman appeared again. “It’s just that with our situation, everything’s tricky.”

Carol chuckled. “That’s true.” She then sighed, getting serious. “The truth is, Therese, I want you. Physically. And I was wondering … we both are adults, attracted to each other.” She wasn’t questioning it but nevertheless, she looked at the other woman when she said that to have a confirmation, smiling when Therese nodded. “If we are going to spend time with each other, why not doing something about it during all this time? If that’s what we both want, of course.” She brushed her hair behind her ear.

“Something just physical?” Therese asked, wanting to be sure.

“Mmhmm,” she affirmed, moving her head accordingly.

“Because something more …” Therese started to play with the food nervously, using the fork she had been holding all the time. “I think neither of us is in the right place for that.”

“I agree entirely.” She smiled reassuringly. “We both have other priorities to even contemplate being in a relationship.”

Therese was finally able to breathe in peace knowing they were indeed on the same page. “Exactly.” She suddenly laughed, startling Carol a bit. “This will definitely reassure my friends about us pretending to be a couple in the party. Not that I’m going to tell them we have reached a physical aspect in our marriage but still.”

“Oh?” she frowned in confusion. Therese told her about her friend’s concern, making Carol join in her amusement. “I’m sure we are going to be able to sell we have the perfect marriage now.” She smiled sultrily, making Therese whimper at the hot sensation that traveled her body before they went back to eat.

 

* * *

 

“Thank you for the dinner, Carol.”

They were standing at the end of the stairs, hand-holding. “Always a pleasure, darling.” It wasn’t the first time Carol used that word but now it had a different effect on the young woman, making her stomach flutter.

Therese diverted her eyes from the woman, not quite sure how to proceed. She wanted more than anything to continue what they started in the kitchen but she didn’t want to impose herself if that was no longer what Carol wanted in the time being. “So … good night.” There was a drop of hesitation in her voice that wasn’t addressed but when she tried to pull her hand free, Carol squeezed her fingers with hers.

“Come on, you no longer need to sleep on the couch.” She turned her body towards the stairs to climb them, softly tugging the woman along. It wasn’t an invitation to continue what had been interrupted but in a way, it made Therese even happier to know that Carol was amenable to repeat the night before.

Carol let her go when they were upstairs, walking to check Rindy, smiling when she saw her peacefully sleeping, glad that the medicine was working. She softly put a hand on the baby’s chest, who gurgled a bit in response, moving the arm of the hand she was holding the ring teething, taking it to her mouth, suckling in her sleep. Carol chuckled at the tender display, just at the time she felt Therese standing behind her, peeking on one side. “I can’t explain why but I love to see you interacting with her,” she explained as an excuse for her approach.

Used to the fact that her own ex-husband, the father of her child, had considered them a burden, the comment took Carol by surprise. Abby was a different case because she was fascinated with only Rindy, not with the duo of mother and daughter like Therese was. Carol turned her body enough to be able to scrutinize Therese while the young woman looked at the baby, almost as if she was expecting to find something that revealed that was she said had been a lie, even when she knew that it wasn’t the case.

Feeling Carol’s eyes on her, Therese gazed in her direction, a little self-conscious at the intense look she found. For a few seconds, she doubted on everything, thinking that perhaps they weren’t in a point of saying such things but everything vanished when Carol leaned down to kiss her, with a passion that made Therese weak in the knees when the woman’s tongue touched her lips, asking for entrance. The moment it was granted to her, Carol placed her hands on Therese’s hips, backing her towards the bed, only pausing when the woman’s legs made contact with it to look at her through lusted eyes.

The grey eyes scanned Therese’s features, feeling her desire increasing when she found the same craving in the other woman. After that look, their hands started to wander without hesitation, moving eagerly, fast to unbutton the clothes that currently were just an obstacle to their main goal, but whenever it came to shed one of the garments, they did it slowly, wanting to savor the moment they unwrapped the presented gift in front of them.

Therese couldn’t help but gasp when she unbuttoned Carol’s white blouse, separating the ends as she caressed the woman’s collarbones with her fingertips, letting it fall on its own along her arms, her eyes momentarily nailed in the enticing breasts cladded in a lacy blue bra. Carol couldn’t help but bit her lower lip after pulling Therese’s shirt off over her head, immediately reaching down to touch her flat stomach, even daring to scratch it softly, smiling when the muscles contract under her touch. When Therese sat on the bed to lower Carol’s skirt over the long legs and confirmed her soon to be lover was matching, she whimpered, resting her forehead just below her breasts, nuzzling the skin with her nose as her hands moved up and down her legs, from time to time, brushing the edge of the cheeky panties.

Once again, Carol was astonished by Therese’s actions, able to catch the reverence in every gesture she made. Tentatively, she put a hand on the woman’s head, her fingers sliding through the dark hair. She closed her eyes when Therese pressed her lips above her navel, tracing an aimless path of kisses over her stomach, her hands now holding her hips as if to keep her in place. Carol couldn’t recall (if ever happened) when had been the last time someone showed such devotion to her ─ Harge only cared for his own pleasure and her one-night stand with Abby, even if had been completely different because her friend had cared to make her enjoy, there had been something detached. Now with Therese … she was proving she possessed some sort of superpower that made Carol overcharged with sensations.

Placing her hands on Therese’s shoulders, and a knee on the mattress, Carol softly push her to lay her on the bed, leaning along with her, no other contact more than her hands, moving them to the mattress when they found in a vertical position as if to trap her. Therese caressed the woman’s arms, staring at her with awe while Carol’s eyes traced her neck, unapologetically going down to admire the torso, frowning when they reached the waist, seeing the pants still getting in the way of her appreciation. It was that what made her pull away, only to unfasten the offensive garment to quickly slid it off to be able to continue her admiration though this time her hands joined, starting from the thighs and following upwards as she leaned down one more time.

This time Therese was waiting for Carol, holding her from the back of her head to pull her down and kiss her, a moan disappearing into their kiss, both of their tongues darting in search of the other. Without breaking the kiss, Carol placed her other leg on the bed to straddle Therese, whose hands slid across the woman’s back to her ass. Carol moaned, moving her body to the source of her pleasure when Therese slipped her fingers under the elastic of her panties, squeezing once her hands were full of skin, trying to pull her closer to her.

“As much as I love what you are wearing,” Therese said between kisses, “I want it off.”

“Then take it off.” The way she spoke, lowering her tone to make it sexily captivating, made Therese’s pussy throb.

Since it was a task that requested her full dedication, Therese propped up on her arms, causing that Carol back down into a seated position that the young woman soon followed suit. With reverence, she caressed the woman’s body from her waist to her back, reaching the bra clasp that skillfully she undid, her hands soon moving to the shoulders to hook her index fingers on the straps to slowly pull them down, consciously caressing with the arms with the rest of her fingertips. There weren’t any words but Carol, not looking away from the young woman in any moment, noticed the way her pupils dilated once the bra was removed, followed by the action of biting her lip in an attempt to control herself.

Getting ready to lift her hands to hold Therese’s face, Carol was surprised when an arm wrapped around her waist to flip them over, coaxing her to move until her head was resting on the pillows. Hurrying to take a spot between Carol’s legs, Therese slowly (even when she was desperate to get it done) take off the last garment covering the woman, once again, making sure to caress the woman’s legs as her hands descended. Carol was tempted to turn off the lights when she felt Therese’s eyes caressing her up and down, but every self-consciousness vanished in a second when the young woman placed a hand on her thigh, tenderly stroking it, mumbling the word ‘gorgeous’ with raw sincerity and contained desire.

This time it was Therese’s turn to be surprised when Carol suddenly straightened up, bringing their lips together as she flipped them over, taking the turn to pull off her clothes, but in her case, the desperation wasn’t contained at all. Only when she had Therese fully exposed, Carol took the moment to relish in such fact, her eyes sweeping every part of the dazzling body at the time her hands began her exploration, feeling the parts of her body that were making contact with the other, tingling. Therese gripped the woman’s forearms when Carol’s hands were traveling over her ribs, not in an attempt to stop her, simply in a way to satisfy her need to touch her too, her own soon moving upwards until they reached the nape, where she softly played with the baby hair in there.

Needing to get closer, Carol was about to straddle Therese’s hips when the woman tugged her down, throwing her out of balance that in an attempt to maintain it, made her toss one leg over Therese’s, causing it to end between hers. “God,” she moaned, feeling lips nibbling her neck and a soft scratching that was going down her column.

Therese soft and tender actions soon turned a little more forceful when Carol placed her hands over her breasts, squeezing them gently before their fingers moved inwards until only the thumbs and index fingers were able to stroke the nipples. “Carol …” she groaned against the skin.

Carol pulled back, using her head to push Therese’s and be able to catch her lips impatiently, hungrily kissing her the moment she had the chance to do it, never stopping the ministrations she was giving with her hands, thrusting her hips at the pangs of desire she felt whenever Therese vocally demonstrated her pleasure. Fighting against her body desire of entirely submit to what she was experiencing, Therese caught the sight of what Carol was doing, which why she lowered her hands to her hips, guiding her so she sat on her thigh as she bent her leg a little ─ one woman whimpering and the other one hissing at the contact.

“I can’t believe how wet you are already.” Therese looked down, almost as if she was expecting to see it.

“It’s what you do to me.” She leaned her forehead against the young woman’s head, grinding slowly.

They lose themselves in that position, both of them happy with their part until Carol, inadvertently slid forward the leg that was placed between Therese’s legs, her knee making contact with the woman’s pussy. The soft yelp of surprise was intoxicating for Carol, who didn’t waste time to repeat the action, smirking when this time she received nothing but a sound of pleasure. Stopping the motions of her hips, Carol’s hands moved to the small of Therese’s back, traveling from the breasts down to the stomach to finally slip under the woman to coax her to lift the upper part of her body. Understanding Carol’s attempt, Therese used her hands and feet to prompt herself up, shifting her hips in the other woman’s direction until she was sitting on her thigh.

Carol leaned her body against Therese’s, using an arm as support while the other remained wrapped around the young woman’s waist, biting her shoulder once she resumed her grinding and Therese started doing the same ─ soft but pronounced movements forward and back that turned circular when the pressure was focused on their clits. It wasn’t the most comfortable position but whenever they trembled, a chill going down their spine, they simply found impossible to stop what they were doing even if it was only for a few seconds.

Therese managed to bend her legs, allowing her to draped her arms on Carol’s shoulders, having a better steadiness that gave her the opportunity to touch at her will (her hands had been messing her lover’s hair since the moment she launched forward to kiss her) and also to guide Carol’s motions (when she stopped kissing her to catch their breaths, her hands had grasped her hips, strong enough to bruise, increasing the woman’s pace as she did the same with her own).

Carol, whose side of her face was resting against Therese’s, turned her head to lick the woman’s ear shell, trapping the earlobe between her teeth, giving a soft bite before sucking at it. Not having the opportunity to use their hands, they made sure that at every swaying of their bodies, they bouncy breasts brushed against each other, their nipples somehow hardening more whenever they were stimulated. When Carol pulled her head back, Therese raised hers to make eye contact, both woman finding eyes veiled with desire looking at them, in awe noticing how increased after a grinding that caused their bodies to convulse with pleasure.

“I want you to come with me.” Therese sloppily pecked Carol’s lips, not wanting to interrupt the series of gasps and moans that were coming out of her mouth.

“Yes, god, yes.” She raised on her knees a little, groaning due to her cramped legs, to then lunge down, searching for a deeper contact, repeating the motion over and over again.

Therese remained still so Carol could continue with her movements, but she began to grind on her lover’s leg faster and faster, helping her to satisfy the other woman even more since her legs slid forward and back, making the friction so much more delicious. In an unexpected movement, Carol stopped leaning on her arm, wrapping her fingers around Therese’s neck, pulling her in her direction to open-mouthed kiss her ─ a messy caress that was only nibbles and grazes that nevertheless were able to parallel the desperation in which they were moving her hips against the reason of their excitement. But whenever any of them started to get louder due to their near explosion, they were capable to silence her with a kiss, where their tongues intertwined in a relentless battle.

Locked in one of those kisses, Carol lowered her arm to where the other was, soon copying Therese’s hold, gripping her hips to feel the way her lover’s body danced, to guide her even when it wasn’t necessary, not missing the stiffness, her own body not taking long to follow the same path, both women intoxicated by the sensations they were experiencing. In the end, they weren’t able to contain the other’s moan when their orgasm ripped them up, maintaining their separate lips in touch, their whimpers escaping from the corners that weren’t in contact, their bodies jerking in sync as the delicious shockwaves roamed every part of their bodies, contracting every muscle that caused to pull the woman in their arms closer to them.

Slowly coming down their high, Carol leaned her forehead against Therese’s lingeringly, not minding her short of breath, thereupon pulling back to look at her. They shared a smile, feeling another kind of pleasure at seeing the overjoyed state in the other’s features as their hands slowly moving over the other’s body tenderly. Helping each other, they lie down on the bed, Therese on her side facing Carol while she remained face up, sharing the relieved sensation when they stretched their legs but only Carol made it vocal with a moan as she closed her eyes. Therese was craving to move and cuddle with the other woman but instead, she bent her arms to her own body, slipping her hands under her head to use them as a pillow. They didn’t feel the need to say something, no uncomfortableness intervening, giving the notion that basking in the glow of their aftermath was something they often did.

When Carol turned her head in Therese’s direction, the young woman smiled a little, her blush going unnoticed to the natural redness that came with having sex. Carol lifted an arm, reaching to caress her jaw, suddenly smiling amusedly. “An annulation it’s definitely out of question now.” Therese blinked twice in bewilderment before she laughed, Carol’s chuckles soon joining to the magic of the moment.


	7. Chapter 7

After that day, things changed between Carol and Therese.

The young woman, who was used to stay in the studio, going through her day’s work, now preferred to leave relative early, working from home after spending some time with Rindy and having dinner the three of them. There wasn’t any doubt that they acted like a couple now, kissing each other to say hello or goodbye or simply because they could; staying in the same bed, where even when they didn’t lay with that intention, they couldn’t keep their hands away from each other for long periods of times; or simply enjoying their presence like in that moment.

“When is your event?” Carol questioned from the couch, where she was browsing through the latest number of the magazine for which Therese worked for.

Therese was belly down on the floor, playing with Rindy ─ or in a more accurate way to put it, she was creating pyramids with the baby’s blocks for her to tear down with a slap that had the culprit laughing hysterically until she hiccuped. Hearing Carol’s voice, Therese, who was holding a block, paused her task mid-air to look at her. “Ahm, I told you it was in a few months.”

“Yeah, but you told me that, a few months ago.” She smiled, glancing at the young woman before turning the page.

Therese scrambled to seat. “What?!” She looked around, searching for some kind of proof that Carol wasn’t lying to her.

“Darling, it has been already over a month since we became lovers. You have been aware of that or I have been sleeping with someone that looks exactly like you?” she sassed. Therese snapped her head in her direction, narrowing her eyes, looking adorably offended that Carol couldn’t help but laugh. “Even before that, we already had a few months living together.”

Therese felt an unpleasant sensation in the bottom of her stomach that she supposed it had to do with the fact that the event was getting closer and she felt totally unprepared for it. What else could it be? “Fu-” Carol cleared her throat, reminding her that Rindy had started gurgling and they had to be careful about what they said, “-nky.” The other woman snorted. “I don’t even know what to wear.” She bent her legs, dramatically hiding her face in her hands once she placed her arms on her knees.

Carol tossed the magazine on the free side of the couch to stand up, heading to where they were, smiling fondly when she saw Rindy crawling to her playmate, gurgling something unintelligible but there was confusion in the way she was doing it. “Hey.” She squatted, placing a hand over her skirt to avoid flashing the woman in front of her. “I actually had plans to go buy a dress for myself and something for Rindy. If you don’t have something already, we can go together.”

Therese raised her head from her hands though Carol wasn’t the reason, but feeling Rindy’s little hands on her leg leaning against it. She looked at the baby that was looking at her with her head slightly to the side and furrowed eyebrows. She chuckled as she reached to pick her up and when Rindy gurgled some more, Therese kissed her forehead. “Yeah, everything’s okay. I apologize for interrupting your fun.”

Carol tilted her head in contemplation, feeling a heartwarming sensation traveling all over her body as her eyes drank in the interaction. After the day Therese had gone out to help Carol with a fussy Rindy, it was as if a wall crumbled between the two of them that made her interact with the baby more ─ before that, she was distant, never to the point of making Carol think that she considered her daughter a bother, but it was clear that she couldn’t determine which was the best way to treat her.

That was no longer the case.

Therese now reached for Rindy out of nowhere, helping Carol when she needed it as if they shared the responsibility of taking care of her. The most staggering part was that Carol didn’t mind. After what transpired with Harge, she had developed an overprotective side when it came to Rindy, a side that not even Abby was saved from sometimes. However, with Therese, she had never felt the need to reach out and claim her daughter back whenever she saw her in the arms of the other woman.

Rindy’s gurgling brought Carol back to the present, feeling her heart somersaulting at the beaming smile her daughter was giving to Therese, who after smiling back, looked towards Carol. “I think that would be a good idea. I need to give an elegant and serious vibe to be taken seriously. I don’t think my usual clothes would help with that.”

Carol smiled but didn’t say anything because the woman was right. She personally loved Therese’s casual style but if she wanted to be picked for something as important as a festival, she would have to stand out. “Would you like to go now? It’s not like we are doing much.” It was the weekend so they were practically doing nothing.

It was Therese’s turn to tilt her head. “Yeah, I think it’s better now that we still have time instead of doing it in the last moment while freaking out.”

Elegantly, Carol shifted to rest on her knees to lean forward, placing a kiss on Therese’s forehead. “I’m here to help you, not only for the event, okay?”

Therese nodded with a smile, a heartwarming sensation traveling all over her body at the sincere sentiment coating the words.

 

* * *

 

Therese was holding back a deep sigh as she looked at Carol trying to find something for her to wear. It had never been her favorite to go shopping, much less now that she didn’t know beforehand what she would buy. It had been fast when it came to chose Rindy’s outfit (a cute pastel pink dress decorated with a white intricate pattern with bloomers and a matching headband) and even Carol’s (a bohemian royal blue ankle-length sleeveless draped dress with three straps from side to side that decorated the backline) but when it was her turn, Therese was frustrated that she couldn’t go with the clothes she regularly used (jeans and plaid shirts) because according to Carol, when a gathering related to work, even if was considered casual, it meant: dressy-casual.

So, now she had to go to the torment of spending who knows how much time until they found the right outfit for her. Therese was tempted to agree with the first thing Carol showed her if it wasn’t for the fact that she was worried about having a dress like an option. At least she counted with Rindy to make the time go relatively faster ─ either by being at ease, making easy to distract her with the simplest things or by being fussy due to the boredom which required a change of scenery that made Therese stand up to rock her softly.

She was coming back of one of those, the longest of her walks where she had been able to make Rindy sleep after buying her a plushie of Snoopy and Woodstock hugging that was now situated between the baby’s body and Therese’s, Rindy following the example of the toy, hugging it too, ready to sit back on the seat that had been hers from the last forty-five minutes when a voice stopped her from completing her task.

“Therese, come here, please.” Taking a deep breath as if she was heading to the gallows, Therese headed to where Carol was, finding her with her back towards her, holding something with each hand that she couldn’t see what they were. Listening to the hesitating steps, Carol turned around with a smug smile. “What do you think?” She raised her arms for more emphasis.

One hand was holding a hanger with charcoal jeans and in the other hanged a two in one piece of a black racerback three button vest suit waistband with an off-white off shoulder long sleeve top with wavy edges underneath. “I thought jeans weren’t an option?” she questioned in surprise, not imagining that Carol had been considering her wishes as she went through the clothes.

“No, I said your regular choices weren’t. Your jeans are well-worn and your shirts are not the most optimal choice for what we want to achieve that day.”

“I thought you liked my style.” She couldn’t help but complain, pouting pathetically.

“Oh, darling, believe me, I do.” She walked to Therese, holding both hangers with one hand so she could use the other to caress the woman’s cheek. “That opinion it’s not personal, I’m speaking to you as a fashionista.”

Therese raised an eyebrow, then laughed. “Right.” Her eyes went back to the clothes. “I love it, I really do.”

Carol narrowed her eyes. “Did you doubt me?”

The soft blush that covered her cheeks spoke before she could do it. “I do admit I was worried about the possibility of you picking a dress for me.”

She tsked, turning her head to the side in an indignant gesture. “I’m hurt that you would think I wouldn’t keep your likes in consideration.”

Briefly, Therese felt her heart stopping at the prospect of an upset Carol until she saw her fighting back a smile. “You are infuriating.”

Carol laughed, stepping closer to place a kiss on Therese’s lips. “And you are attracted to me anyway.” The young woman made a ‘touche’ expression that brought another laugh. “When did she fall asleep?” She looked at Rindy, resting comfortably on the woman’s shoulder, placing her hand on her daughter’s head, stroking softly.

“After meeting her new plushie.” She smiled when Carol looked back at her, raising an eyebrow questioningly. “She was a little fussy because she was sleepy but she wasn’t yielding at my attempts and during our walk, she saw it. The employee was nice enough to lend it to us but when she fell asleep hugging it, I didn’t have the heart to take it away from her, so …” she shrugged.

Carol smiled tenderly, her eyes softening. “And what it is?”

“A dog and a bird.” She wanted to know if Carol was able to recognize them with that description.

The woman narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, slightly turning her head to the side. “Snoopy and Woodstock?”

Therese beamed a smile. “Yes.”

Tenderly chuckling, Carol brushed a strand of her lover’s hair behind her ear. “You are such a geek.”

“Says the one that knew what I was talking about with a vague description.” Playfully, she stuck out her tongue.

“Come on, who wouldn’t know who they are?!” She looked outrageous at the simple idea which made Therese laugh. Stepping back and moving to the side, she gestured behind her with an arm. “You can place her in the stroller so you don’t get tired.”

Therese was a little torn because, in fact, her arms were getting tired after carrying the baby for so long but on the other side, having her close made it worthy. However, before she could take a decision, someone interrupted them. “Carol?”

The aforementioned woman, recognizing that voice anywhere, closed her eyes as she sighed. “Dammit.” Before Therese could question her, she was turning around to find her best friend gazing from her to the young woman. “Abby, hi.”

Therese’s eyes widened inevitably at hearing the name, knowing who the woman was. She remained in the background as Carol walked to her friend, greeting her with a kiss on her cheek. It was clear that Abby was trying to keep her curiosity at bay, making her recall the first time she had seen her. But this time, when Carol looked back at Therese, she gestured to her to join them after placing the clothes she was holding, folded in half, on her forearm. For a beat, Therese didn’t move, only doing it until she felt uncomfortable to be under such scrutiny.

She smiled self-consciously, nodding at Abby in acknowledgment when she glanced at her. “Hello.”

“Abby, as you already know, this is Therese.” She smiled softly when she addressed the young woman. “Therese, this is Abby.”

Therese was using both arms to hold Rindy but when Abby reached out with one of hers to shake her hand, she expertly removed one of them to make it possible. “ I’ve been waiting to meet my friend’s wife since the moment I knew it happened,” Abby sassed, and as a result, Carol rolled her eyes while Therese blushed.

“Uhm, I- well-” Therese cleared her throat, not knowing what to say.

“Don’t mind her,” Carol intervened. “It’s in her nature to be annoying.” Therese looked from Carol to Abby, not quite sure if she should smile or not.

“And you like me anyway.” The young woman snorted inevitably, amused by the peculiar coincidence of the friends’ answers which made Carol smirk at her understandingly while Abby narrowed her eyes at them but then her gaze went lower, finding Rindy in Therese’s arms, almost as if she hadn’t noticed it before.

Never caring to conceal what she felt, Abby looked at Carol, who stiffened a bit when their eyes locked, finding the reproach in them. After their conversation (and much consideration), Carol hadn’t keep up with her friend, coming to the decision that it wasn’t necessary to tell her about the step they had taken, much less putting them in the same place because her relationship with Therese had a limited time. Both of them had reached the same conclusion after their conversation where they let the other know that they were using each other to get what they want and the elapsed time hadn’t changed that ─ the only difference was when they decided to get physically involved but even then, they knew the end was going to be waiting for them. Because of that, Carol saw no sense to introduce them, no matter how much Abby insisted.

“So, Therese …” Abby was still looking at Carol when she started talking, putting the woman on edge at the uncertainty of what she would do, but after a few seconds, she looked to the other woman. “Enjoying the family day?”

Therese could feel the tension between the friends and if it wasn’t because she was holding Rindy, she would have stiffened at the awkwardness. “Hard not to with these two,” she answered sincerely, playing along, moving her arms softly, readjusting the baby a little while she smiled at Carol’s direction, who inwardly melted by Therese’s words. “Now, if you excuse me,” she continued. “I’m going to go and pay for the clothes,” she was addressing both women but was only looking at Carol. She might be capable to defend herself but she wasn’t going to stay there like a living target. “See you in the cash register?” When Carol nodded, she freed her from the clothes she was holding and walked to where their things were, placing them on the handle of the stroller to be able to put the baby on it.

“What the hell was that?” Carol questioned with a frown when Therese was far enough.

“It was an honest question, that’s the vibe I got while watching you.” She shrugged, not wanting to admit that their camaraderie didn’t suit her fine. It had been funny to talk and laugh with Carol about all this when her friend considered it a drunken mistake but after witnessing this, it seem like she didn’t share the same opinion anymore and she wasn’t taking it well.

“No, that was pure jealousy. That’s why you wanted to meet her, to mark your territory?” Abby opened her mouth but say nothing in the end. “Oh my god.” She covered her nose and mouth with both hands.

“I don’t want you for myself, Carol.” She was sincere but strangely felt like she was lying. “But I accept I have mixed feelings about all this. I used to be the one you leaned on when you needed me and you are so overprotective with Rindy, even with me and anybody who looked at her would think she’s her mother.”

Carol sighed tiredly. “I’m not going to dwell in this again, Abby. You know very well it won’t last. Soon you will go back to be the only friend helping me in my life,” she gritted her teeth, clenching her hands into fists until she was able to feel her nails digging on her palms in an attempt to calm herself from blowing up by the mention of her daughter.

“You make me sound so selfish.” Carol raised her eyebrows as if saying ‘it’s for a reason’. “Well …” She looked down at the floor before making eye contact again. “You hold such a strong opinion of me,” she said sarcastically.

Carol’s eyes flashed angrily, sick of the woman’s attitude, unable to stop herself this time. “Yes … I used to.”

 

* * *

 

Therese was sitting on the end of a bench in front of the store she had been in just a moment ago, the stroller next to her, carefully positioned diagonally so she could keep an eye on the sleeping baby inside, though at the moment her eyes were fixed on the entrance, waiting for Carol to come out. She hadn’t wanted to wait inside, looking like a fish out of the water while people came and went, especially because she didn’t want to face Abby again. One brief interaction and she had been able to tell that the woman resented her for some inexplicable reason. She personally didn’t care, she didn’t even know the woman enough to care but she was upset at the idea of Carol on the horns of a dilemma.

Her eyes diverted from the entrance to the stroller, not missing the moment Rindy moved her arms, taking the plushie she hadn’t let go since the moment she held it for the first to her face, suckling one of the ears when it brushed her lips. Therese laughed, placing the stroller in front of her so she could rummage into the diaper bag to pull out the pacifier, exchanging the ear for it without needing to stand up. In this way, she wouldn’t miss a thing, catching askance when Abby came out of the store, not paying attention to her surroundings, while her attention was focused on making sure Rindy caught the pacifier before she withdrew her hand.

Her mind was already working out the idea of going to search for Carol when the woman came out, her face bearing an annoyed but slightly sad expression. Therese lifted her arm to draw Carol’s attention, making her smile a little, heading towards her. When Carol sat next to Therese, she looked at her daughter, feeling a need to have in her arms that she pushed back before making eye contact with the concerned young woman. However, Carol sighed, not saying a word just yet, distractedly looking at the people that were passing by. They sat in silence for a while, but then Therese stretched an arm to place a hand above Carol’s knee — a simple gesture that was enough to make her clung to the woman that was letting her know that she could count with her.

“We slept together for a brief period of time,” she started. “I had just moved to her house and everything was overwhelming. I knew she was attracted to me and at that moment I needed someone to practically worship me to keep me from losing my mind.” She sighed, lowering her head. “It was easy to mistake her possessiveness with concern, with caring … but after this …” She shook her head. “She claims she doesn’t want me for herself but at the same time it’s like she doesn’t want me to have anyone but her.”

Therese took a moment to digest the words. “Was it recent?” It would make sense if it was, a sign that Abby hadn’t got it over yet.

“Mmm, less than a year ago.” She tilted her head down, turning it a bit in Therese’s direction but without looking at her.

“It seems she took the role of your protector. I don’t know much but I know enough to know your ex-husband is an asshole so it’s no wonder that she felt some sort of responsibility of taking care of you after you experienced all the bad. It’s what someone would do if they care.” Such words made Carol feel self-conscious, thinking that perhaps she had exaggerated until Therese continued. “But even good intentions can be tainted when there’s a deeper reason.” Carol finally looked at her. “I’m not saying that she only helped you with that intention, you know her far better than I do-”

“I do know her better than you,” she cut her off and for a moment, Therese thought she had screwed up. “But it only took you one interaction with her and know about our past to see what it took me months to see.” Therese waited for Carol to continue, moving the hand it was on her leg up and down. “Harge loved to control me, everything he said, he expected me to do it without questioning it and I grew up with the idea that something like that was the right way.” She wrinkled her nose with distaste. “I meet Abby while I was already married, resulting alluring for being a free spirit, which as you can imagine, had several things to say when she realized how my marriage was.” Both women smiled a little. “But it was only until Harge expected me to have an abortion when I told him I was four months pregnant that I realized that Abby had had an influence on me, making me capable to pull away of his toxicity.”

Therese looked at Rindy when she listened to the revelation, feeling a raw hate crawling upon her. “All right, saying he’s an asshole is staying short.” She didn’t bother to hide the venom in her voice.

Carol placed her hand over Therese’s, stroking her tenderly, bringing her back to where it mattered with that simple gesture. “Believe me, I know.” She intertwined her fingers with the other woman’s. “What I just noticed was that I got out of a controlling relationship to step into another.” She sighed. “I’m not saying Abby is like Harge, not at all. Harge did it on purpose and I’m sure Abby wasn’t even aware that she hoped that this could lead to something happening between the two of us, much less that I would feel like I owed her everything because thanks to her we had all we need that I would agree to everything she wanted without even pondering about it.” She gulped, lowering her head again. “Harge wanted the perfect wife that followed every single command he ordered without hesitation to paint the perfect picture. Abby simply wanted Rindy and me, a family where she could be the head of it.” She laughed humorlessly.

Therese felt an indescribable sadness, watching a woman who had never had the chance to be whatever she wanted to be. “And what do _you_ want?” she whispered, squeezing Carol’s fingers with hers.

Carol looked back at her, her heart skipping a beat due to those big eyes looking at her with sincere interest. “I don’t … I just want a life where I can take my own decisions, where I can do what I want without having to consider, aside from my daughter, if it’s something that would affect them.”

“Well, you are doing that now. You are doing what you want and you will be able to build a life for you and Rindy.” She smiled playfully. “And you don’t have to worry about your wife, she’s okay if you don’t have her in consideration to create your future.”

Carol was able to laugh, moving closer to rest her head against Therese’s. “It’s a shame our day was ruined.”

“Who says it was ruined?” They pulled back to look at each other. “There’s an ice-cream store that would be able to make you feel better.” She stood up without letting Carol’s hand go, placing her free hand on the stroller handle. “Afterwards we could go to the movies if Rindy is awake or we could find another thing to do.”

Carol’s smile was growing more and more as Therese kept talking animatedly about any plan that came to her mind, never imagining that she would be able to feel a calming sensation washing over so soon after what transpired with Abby; but there she was, capable to lock behind a door that situation to enjoy the prospect of others to come that would bring her nothing but happiness.


	8. Chapter 8

The day of the party, Therese was strangely calm, finding rather amusing that Carol ─ who was currently gathering the things Rindy would probably need for the day, while the young woman and the baby on her lap followed her with their eyes ─ seemed to be more nervous than her. The rest of the team was currently flooding Therese’s cell phone with messages, trying to reassure themselves that everything would work out in the way it was meant to, either if they got the promotion or not. Therese agreed with that ─ yes, she wanted the opportunity but if they didn’t get it, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

“Mmmmmm-aaa!” Rindy broke the silence, startling her mother a tad.

“I agree with her Carol, you have checked if you have all you need three times already,” Therese spoke in a soft tone, not wanting to stress her even more so. “You are not forgetting anything and even if you do, I can come back and get it.”

Looking away from the diaper bag to the sitting woman on the bed who was holding her daughter securely with her hand on her upper body, Carol sighed. “I don’t want to blow it up.”

“You won’t.” She stood up, taking Rindy with her to walk towards the woman. “We are supposed to be a family, and families are far from perfect. We are also humans and it’s normal to forget things.” She settled Rindy on one arm so she could use the other to cup Carol’s cheek. “More important is that I’m not Harge, I don’t want perfection.” Carol’s features softened at those words. “I don’t want you to ever feel that if by whatever reason we don’t get the promotion, it was your fault, all right?” She narrowed her eyes when she didn’t get an answer. “Are you going to make me ask you to promise me?”

“It’s just that … your help is a fact, the last thing I should do-” Carol tried to explain her conundrum just to be interrupted.

“Yours is too, you are helping me and that’s what I asked for, the outcome doesn’t depend on us.” She traced the woman’s jaw with her fingertips. “I won’t blame you if things don’t work out, neither my friends.”

“Promise?” Both women chuckled.

“I promise.” She leaned forward, kissing her for good measure.

She gave the other woman another kiss before pulling back. “Then I promise I will try not to think it’s my fault if you guys don’t achieve what you want.”

Therese rolled her eyes a bit. “Better than nothing I guess.” She readjusted the baby on her arms so they were facing each other. “By the way … you look adorable in that outfit.” She kissed her head over the headband while Rindy gurgled in response. Afterwards, she looked back at Carol, who was contemplating the scene with a lovely smile. “And you look simply stunning.” The captivating way Therese looked at her up and down, made Carol feel a heartwarming sensation all over her body that she couldn’t ensure had only to do with sexual desire.

“Thank you, darling. You look very fine, you know?” She bit her lower lip while her eyes swept her from head to toe but the soft sigh she let out at the end caused the young woman’s stomach to flutter.

“Come on,” Therese blinked first. “Let’s leave.” Carol was parting her lips to say something but she shook her head. “You already have everything, I was verifying too ─ you have the food, diapers, toys and even extra clothes if it gets too chilly.”

“All right,” she yielded, knowing that if she didn’t follow Therese’s suggestion she would waste who knows how much time and it would get late. She hung the diaper bag on one shoulder and then walked to where the stroller was to take it. “Let’s do the best we can to make your dream come true.” She looked adorably determined that Therese chuckled with delight, stopping before going down the stairs to kiss her cheek lingeringly and sweetly enough that Carol closed her eyes, smiling and sighing contently.

 

* * *

 

Carol looked around the humongous decorated-in-a-simple-way-for-the-occasion (tables with lavender color tablecloths and chairs with white covers and a bow in the lower part of the backrest that matched the tablecloth and a buffet on the left side) garden that belong to what she knew it was going to be a big and fancy house, her eyebrows raising not due the pool but at the wooden kiosk in the middle, experiencing the familiar sensation of having to sweeten up some of the present people. For her, it was easy to recognize the people that would do anything in order to get what they want, the people that preferred to go unnoticed and the people that would fairly work to climb the steps. At the same time it was different, thankfully not feeling the dreadness that in the past came with it.

She stopped her scrutiny when she felt Therese’s hand on the small of her back, action that drew her attention to her after glancing down at her daughter in her arms, who was also watching the place so enthralled that she even stopped her suckling on the pacifier. The young woman was looking around too but instead of doing it in a contemplative way, it was in a searching way. Carol supposed she was looking for her friends, having a confirmation when Therese suddenly raised her other arm that had been resting on the stroller to greet someone, Carol’s eyes finding the group in one of the tables mirroring the woman’s action when she followed that direction.

“I know I met them before but this time I will definitely going to remember it,” Carol said as they walked to their direction, missing the electrifying sensation that Therese’s hand created when she removed it to push the stroller with both hands.

She chuckled. “I’m sure they feel the same way. All of us are aware of the interaction only due to the video.” Carol took a deep breath that Therese was able to hear the overtone of it. “Stop feeling that everything depends on you. This is a teamwork.” Carol snorted a laugh. “Well, it is … for this to work, we have to have done a good job with the gossip at work in the first place.”

“We shall see,” she whispered, adopting a breathtaking smile when they reached the friends’ spot, who were standing up. She stood in the background, pretending she was giving all her attention to her daughter while Therese said hello, catching everything by the corner of her eyes, only turning her head to them when the young woman mentioned her name.

“Guys, as you already know, this is Carol,” the aforementioned moved closer. “Carol, these are the guys.” She didn’t even need to say their names since one day she had shown the woman the video of their wedding to let her know who was who. “Just act like this is not the first time you all see each other.”

“It’s not the first time, Therese,” Phil said while Genevieve addressed Carol first, earning death daggers from the green eyes.

“A pleasure to re-meet you.” She cupped Carol’s elbow while she kissed the woman’s cheek to then lower her gaze. “Your baby is so cute!” Rindy shyly nuzzled her face against her mother’s bosom, making everyone laugh.

“Thank you. It’s a pleasure too.” The brothers also kissed her to greet her but they didn’t exchange a word while doing it.

“Don’t be stressed,” Dannie said after noticing the imperceptible gestures that betrayed Carol’s restlessness, like pursing her lips, nibbling her lower lip and shifting her weight from one leg to the other. “We already are beyond grateful to you for wanting to help us, you don’t have to take this like a duty, just enjoy your time with us.”

Carol parted her lips in surprise, looking at Therese who smiled at her with affection, mumbling the words _“I told you so.”_ “Oh. That’s reassuring.” Even her shoulders sagged in relief. Not that she didn’t believe Therese’s words but it was one thing to spoke in her friends’ behalf and another listening it from their own mouths.

“What, was Therese pressuring you?” The young woman widened her eyes at Phil’s words but Carol spoke before she could defend herself.

“No,” her voice was extremely gentle and her eyes shined when she looked at her. “She has been nothing but wonderful.”

Therese held her breath, hoping that would be enough to control the frantic way her heart was beating but incapable to stop herself from getting lost in those eyes, both women in their own personal world that they didn’t even notice the looks their three companions exchanged after witnessing such behavior. “At least we don’t have to worry about if they are going to be capable of selling it,” Phil whispered to not be heard beyond the people next to him, grunting when Dannie elbowed him.

Genevieve cleared her throat, smirking when Therese became aware of their surrounding, causing her to blush. “Let’s seat. People might start to think we don’t know how to do it if we remain standing.”

Therese hurried to pull out the chair for Carol to sit, who thanked her with a tender peck. Afterwards, she moved the chair she was going to sit on so she could pull the stroller between the chairs, yet keeping them close to each other before taking a seat. “Shouldn’t we go to your boss and say hi?” Carol questioned when the young woman was next to her.

“No. We don’t want to appear like we are starving for his attention on us.” She appeared nonchalant but she couldn’t stop fidgeting with her hands.

Carol looked down to them, removing one of the arms that had wrapped around Rindy’s stomach to reach and place her hand on Therese’s, smiling when the young woman looked at her, intertwining their fingers together without breaking eye contact. Watching Therese nervous was strangely calming for Carol, making her own nervousness disappear because her main focus was to reassure the other woman. “It will be okay, darling.” She softened the tone of her voice enough to give the sensation that her words were a velvety caress and confident enough to make Therese believe her.

 

* * *

 

“Therese!” The young woman startled a little next to Carol, quickly turning around to find her boss, a man in his sixty, holding a champagne glass, looking at them over his sunglasses.

“Mister Harrison.” She cleared her throat, not wanting to show her apprehension in any way. “This is an amazing gathering, we are so grateful for the invitation.”

“You earned it. Your passion about your work and potential has been clear from the very first moment.” His eyes drawn away from her employee briefly to look at the woman next to her, who was smiling proudly. “But if I’m honest, right now I’m here to satisfy my curiosity.” He smiled friendly. “There has been some talk around the office about your marriage and it seems it’s true.”

Carol resorted into her most charming smile when she became the spotlight, slightly leaning her head in Therese’s direction when the woman wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her a little bit closer to her. “Indeed it is. This is my wife, Carol Belivet.” The aforementioned woman felt her stomach somersaulting at the unexpectancy of that.

“Cy Harrison.” He shook Carol’s hand. “This is a complete surprise. I hope you don’t take as an insult if I tell you that you always appeared to be the kind of woman exclusively dedicated to your career.”

“That was until I met this incredible woman.” She turned her head to look at Carol while spoke.

“When life puts the right one for you, there’s no way to stop it.” The man raised the arm with which he was holding the glass as if he was making a toast.

Carol and Therese looked at each other, trying to hold back a smile but there was nothing they could do to disappear the amusement in their eyes. Luckily for them, it was something that could be interpreted in a different way. “Absolutely,” Carol intervened. “Our connection was so strong since the very first moment that there was no point in fighting against it, we simply follow the flow.” Therese was nodding at her words.

“Lovely, lovely.” He looked enthusiastic. For Carol now it made complete sense why Therese had taken the decision of faking a marriage. “Would I be too intrusive if I asked how you two met?”

“Not at all, we are still in our honeymoon high to share our story with anyone willing to hear it.” Carol chuckled, making the others laugh too. “We-“

“Oh, my dear. I’m sorry to interrupt you but we need to go find my wife, we love to hear this kind of stories.” He made a gesture for them to follow him.

Therese unwrapped her arm from Carol’s waist but before she could retreat it back next to her body, Carol reached down to hold her hand. As she allowed to be guided, Therese turned her head to their table’s direction, finding three pairs of eyes following them — Phil remained neutral while Dannie made thumbs up with both hands and Genevieve, who was keeping an eye on a sleeping Rindy, nodded at her.

“My love!” Mr. Harrison’s voice made her focus back to him, watching the man leaning down to affectionately kiss the cheek of a blonde woman, that seemed to be around ten years younger than him, that was sitting on the kiosk. “I want to introduce you to these delightful ladies. This is one of my employees, Therese; and this is her wife, Carol.”

“Oh! What a beautiful couple you two make!” She stood up, holding her husband’s hand when it was offered to her, to kiss each of the woman’s cheeks. “I’m Jeanette.”

“They were about to tell me the story of how they met but you would never forgive me if I listen to it on my own.” He sat next to Jeanette after she did it. “We can’t help but be interested in love stories,” he explained to the women. “I’m certain that it has to do with the fact that I found my true love and I wish everyone was able to experience something like that.” He looked at his wife, who was already looking at him, sharing an enamored smile.

If it wasn’t for the endearing vibe they excluded, it would have been creepy. “That’s lovely,” Carol said. “In these times love has seemed to have lost the importance it used to have that in fact feels like a miracle to find the one.” She felt like a hypocrite. After all, their relationship wasn’t what it appeared to be.

Carol and Therese sat in front of the couple after they were coaxed to do it. The young woman licked her lips, taking a deep breath as a waiter served them a lemonade glass before Carol started to tell their story ─ the one both of them have came up with because there was no way they could stick with the original story. It might be an ordinary story, having met during the wedding of one of Carol’s acquaintance where Therese had been the photographer, but the simplicity of it made it more believable, exploiting the fact that they had had an immediate connection since the moment they looked at each other, to the point that Carol had spent most of her time with Therese instead of with the people she knew. From time to time, Therese intervened to add something that made the story more pleasant in details even though Carol already had the couple mesmerized on her own, both women answering any questions that might arise.

After a while, when their conversation had turned more neutral, as if they were longtime friends, Genevieve arrived, sheepishly interrupting them, holding a fussy Rindy. “Excuse me.” Everyone turned to look at her. “Someone woke up needing her mother.” Before Carol could stand up, Genevieve walked to her to handed her the baby.

“Thank you, Gen.” All her attention was now focused on her daughter, who looked at her unhappily while Therese took the diaper bag the woman had taken with her, hurrying to pull out a feeding bottle.

“Did you guys ventured into motherhood so soon?” Jeanette asked with surprise when Genevieve retired.

“Actually, I was a mother when Therese met me, so … it was an all package deal with me.” She smiled, taking the offered bottle once she settled Rindy in her arms.

“Who could resist them? I’m only human,” Therese stated without thinking, watching mother and daughter with tenderness.

Carol would have never imagined what a good actress the young woman was, causing goosebumps all over her skin with such comment tainted with fervor. She tried to school her features into just an expression full of affection when she turned her head to make eye contact with Therese, who at that moment blushed, realizing what she had said but she didn’t look away, both women managing a smitten smile. The moment breaking like a soap bubble when Jeanette sighed, making them look at her in surprise, completely forgetting they weren’t alone, finding her with a hand on her chest and a gentle smile that her husband also wore.

“You two are so in love,” she said once she counted with the women’s attention, whose heart beat wildly in what they wanted to believe, had to do with the fact that they had achieved their purpose.

 

* * *

 

Jeanette’s words didn’t have a bigger impact during the rest of the day. At least, until it was time to leave the party.

Before being addressed one last time for her boss, Therese caught the image of Carol with her friends ─ the trio had been quick to like her, which made total sense for the young woman because it was the consequence once you had the opportunity to get to know her. But what took Therese aback was the relieved and content sensation that washed her over at the fact that her friends liked Carol, to the point that now they were exchanging wholehearted hugs and kisses as they bid their goodbyes.

It was then when Jeanette’s words came back to be present, making her wonder but Mr. Harrison interrupted her before she had the opportunity to dwell in them. Nevertheless, they were now engraved in her mind, to the point that stopped her from feeling any sort of excitement when her boss requested her presence in his office tomorrow morning.


	9. Chapter 9

Carol didn’t want to address Therese’s quietness while they headed back home, relating it to the tiredness that came with the fact that she was now able to let the stress go since she was free of the pressure of their scheme. But she couldn’t keep ignoring it when she came out of the bathroom after getting ready to sleep, finding the young woman sitting at the foot of the bed, staring at the floor. Carol hanged the dress she used for the day on the backrest of the chair in her way to sit next to Therese, who didn’t even react as if she had noticed the woman’s presence next to her.

“Hey, are you okay?” she asked with concern.

Therese didn’t startle but there was a soft surprise when she looked at Carol, which resulted into taking a moment to answer. “Yes, everything’s okay.”

She could tell she was being honest because there wasn’t anything that pointed otherwise, the only difference was the bewilderment tainting her expression. “All right.” Carol smiled, placing a hand on Therese’s thigh, squeezing softly, standing up in the next second.

“Mister Harrison asked me to go to his office tomorrow,” Therese whispered.

Carol turned around sharply, the astonishment clear in her face. “Darling, that’s amazing!”

The young woman shrugged. “I suppose so. I don’t want to get my hopes up. That’s why I didn’t say anything to my friends either.”

She sat back next to Therese. “I get it, but let’s be honest, we were able to charm them. They didn’t stop talking to us since the moment you introduced me.”

Therese smiled a bit. “Yeah, that’s a good sign.”

“I mean, Jeanette even told us that we looked so in love, so …” she shrugged, trailing off.

The smile that was on her face slowly vanished. “Yeah.”

Carol didn’t think anything of it, once again thinking it was due to the tiredness and the fact that the woman’s emotions were all out of place. “Come on, darling, let’s go sleep.”

The simple idea of changing clothes was exhausting for Therese but she stood up anyway, letting know her opinion with a deep sigh. However, before she could walk towards the bathroom, Carol held her by the wrist, making her look back questioningly. Without saying a word, she stood up, coaxing her to turn around, softly tugging her by the arm until they were facing each other. Not breaking eye contact, Carol raised her other arm to caress the side of the young woman’s face. As her hand touched down Therese’s face to her neck, she let go of her wrist, her hands meeting at the vest first button, unbuttoning as her gaze locked with the other woman’s. A tenderness soaked the moment, clear that this wasn’t going to led to something sexual, not even when Therese was stripped to only her panties and Carol’s eyes slid down through her body, darkening with desire.

Neither bothered to pick up the clothes now scattered on the floor, Carol’s hands this time wrapping around both wrists, softly pulling Therese to her to kiss her ─ a peck after another until without noticing, they were locked in an embrace. When they stop kissing, they rested their foreheads together, sighing deeply. “Come on, angel. Today was a big day and tomorrow points out to be emotionally effective.”

“Angel?” Therese blinked puzzled.

Carol smiled, raising an arm to brush the young woman’s hair off her face, all her stance dripping with affection. “That’s what you are to me. Even to Rindy though she can’t be aware of it yet. But believe me, she will know.”

Therese gulped and then pursed her lips, lowering her head just in case because she didn’t want to show the myriad of emotions the words were making her feel that confused her more. “I- I just-” she was silenced when Carol held her by the chin to lift her head and kiss her.

There were no words when they pulled apart, just one more piercing look before Carol let Therese go so they could walk to their respective side of the bed. This time they didn’t spoon like they were now used to do, instead, once they were laying down on the bed, their turned on their sides, facing each other. At first, there was a gap big enough for another person but after a moment, Therese scoot towards Carol, placing a hand on her hip that soon slid to the small of her back as she got closer to the other woman, who did the same with her arm. Once there wasn’t any gap between their bodies, Therese looked up, kissing Carol’s chin, who looked down in response to the action, kissing the young woman’s head, closing her eyes with a smile when she felt her nuzzling her head in the crook of her neck. In the comfort of the other’s presence, sleep didn’t take long to claim them.

 

* * *

 

The next day, Therese would be bouncing nervously if it wasn’t for the fact she was walking, heading to her boss’ office, hoping to gather up the confident side of the previous day. She hadn’t said anything to her friends yet, thinking that her apprehension was more than enough to deal with. She also didn’t want to get their hopes up only to cut their wings. If this only led to disappointment, it was better to deal with it on her own though they always talked about facing things together since they were a team but Therese couldn’t help but look after them as the head of the group (according to them because they said that thanks to her they had a job).

Therese smiled sheepishly at Laura, an elder woman that was Mr. Harrison’s assistant, who after their greetings, reached for the phone to call their boss when the young woman told her why she was there. Therese walked to the office’s window, looking through it, distracting herself from her nerves by looking at the people on the outside, her mind photographing wherever her eyes went. It was easy for her to shut the world out whenever she got in such state of mind, having the goal to capture what her eyes were seeing ─ even if she didn’t have a camera in her hands, when there was a moment she liked, she replayed in her brain over and over again until she found the perfect angle, like an exclusive photograph that only she would be capable to admire.

A harsh buzzing pulled Therese out of her absorption, followed by Laura’s voice. “He’s ready to receive you, sweetheart.”

“Thank you.” She took a deep breath before walking to the door, doing it one more time when her hand was around the doorknob before turning it.

Mr. Harrison was sitting behind his desk, shifting the chair a little, positioning it diagonally to be able to place a foot on his knee, smiling when he looked at Therese. “Good morning.”

“Good morning, Sir.” She smiled politely.

“Please, take a seat.” He pointed to the chairs in front of the desk. Therese did what was requested, trying not to squirm once she was on the chair. “I think the best it’s to tell you why I decided to call you.” He suddenly was so serious, like Therese had never seen him before, which didn’t help much for her nerves. “Since the moment you arrived at this company, you have proven a passion that sincerely I haven’t seen before, devoting your life to it like I mentioned yesterday.” He looked away, pensively. “Much people think that if they work excessively they would get my attention, but I actually feel bad for the people that think that works it’s everything in life.” He looked back at Therese. “I’m not saying that a person needs a family; the marriage and kids, I’m just saying people need to enjoy their lives.”

“And what if their work it’s someone’s life?” Therese couldn’t help but ask because she always felt that impression about herself.

Mr. Harrison smiled. “I personally don’t think that’s possible. Enjoying your work to the point it doesn’t feel like a burden? Absolutely. Thinking that you only need your job to feel whole? Not really.” There was a moment of silence where Therese thought about it. “You used to feel like that?”

“Uhm, I suppose, photography was what I always wanted to do, and being able to do it feels like a hobby instead of a job.” She grimaced, making the man chuckle.

“And that’s amazing. Many people have a job only because it gives them money and not because they enjoy it.” He sighed. “But I’m sure that since Carol and Rindy came to your life, your priorities changed.”

Therese had forgotten about the reality he thought it was her life but when she answered, she did it with her heart. “Of course.”

He nodded. “And even before them, you had your friends. People are what makes life special, not a job.”

“Right.” She smiled a little. “I can’t complain about how my life was before my marriage but it got so much more interesting afterwards.”

He smiled. “I could see that. I like to watch my employees, not in a creepy way, mind you,” the young woman chuckled, “but for a company to succeed, a boss has to be involved in the way it operates. So I did notice how you left work at earlier hours, a sort of change in your mood … you never stopped being responsible to your job but there was an unmistakable lightness. Then I heard the chatter and it made sense, at least to me.” This time his smile was affectionate and Therese’s response was reciprocating it, feeling bad for the lie Carol and she had sold, but at the same time, there was a strange acceptance to his boss’ words. “But chattering wasn’t the reason why I asked you to come today, it was to tell you that I hope traveling doesn’t cause you any troubles, after all, it hasn’t been long since you got married. We are willing to pay their expenses if you want to take them with you.”

Therese’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open, remaining with that expression long enough to feel embarrassed once she was able to react. “That means-?”

Mr. Harrison grinned with delight at the reaction. “Yes. You and your team are going to make the coverage of Cannes.”

Inwardly, Therese was jumping out of the chair and screaming in joy but in reality, she stayed on the chair, only the tone of her voice revealing her excitement at the news. “Thank you so much, Mr. Harrison, this is truly an honor and we won’t disappoint you.”

“I’m sure you won’t.” He gave her a friendly wink.

 

* * *

 

Leaving her boss’ office, it took Therese a huge effort not to sprint to a private place to make the phone call she couldn’t wait to do before going to their studio to share the news with her friends. Not only she was having an emotional need to let Carol know first, she also thought it was fair because she was the person who knew beforehand, and Therese didn’t have the heart to leave her with doubt until she was back home. Besides that, she had played a huge part to make this possible. Once she reached one the bathroom on that floor and after verifying she was alone, Therese pulled her cell phone out, pacing from one side to the other as she listened to the dial tone, speaking without giving Carol, who was readjusting Rindy to hold her with one arm to be able to answer, thinking that this call could mean something good or bad, the chance to greet her first.

“We got it.” She stopped, looking herself through the mirror as a huge smile curved her lips.

There was a soft gasp on the other side of the line. “ _Are you serious?_ ”

“Yes!” This time she did shout, and even if it was purposefully contained to not be interrupted, it was loud enough to make Carol cringe though she then laughed happily.

“ _Darling, I’m so happy for you!_ ” Therese giggled which made her laugh again. “ _How did your friends react to the news?_ ”

“I haven’t told them yet, I wanted to tell you first,” she admitted shyly, making Carol feel a blossoming warmness in her chest that threatened to explode, too distracted by the sensation that she didn’t notice Rindy lifting her arms, trying to take the phone after recognizing the voice.

“ _I see,_ ” she whispered, hoping not to reveal the emotion she was experiencing. “ _I imagine all of you will go to celebrate afterwards?_ ”

“Surely, but I was thinking about doing something in the house with you.” In fact, she hadn’t even contemplated the idea of leaving Carol out of it but she wasn’t going to force her if she didn’t. “Are you okay with that?”

Once again, Carol gasped, the sensation in her chest increasing. “ _Yes, of course. It would be lovely to be a part of it._ ” She finally noticed Rindy’s actions, feeling her little hands on her forearm at the time she shrieked. “ _Hold on, sweetheart, mommy is talking._ ” The baby only frowned with determination, resuming her attempt to take the phone by lifting her arms again. “ _What, you want to talk with her?_ ” She laughed but Rindy’s features suddenly softened while she gurgled. “ _Oh my god, I actually think she does._ ”

Therese laughed. “Then put her on the phone.”

“ _Are you serious?_ ” She raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

“Of course, I would never ignore her,” she said tenderly.

Carol didn’t answer, too affected by the way her stomach fluttered and her heart somersaulted, pulling the phone away from her ear to get it close to her daughter’s, who avoid it by holding the device with both hands, gurgling delighted. “ _No, baby, that’s not how it works._ ” She chuckled, guiding the phone where it was meant to be without forcing Rindy to let go. “ _Angel, say something,_ ” she requested when her daughter started to pull a fight at what she was doing.

“Rindy?” The baby’s eyes grew wider at the voice, stopping her from avoiding her mother to move the phone. “How’s my favorite little girl? Is your mother spoiling you like she should?”

Carol smiled when her daughter started to babble unintelligibly like she usually did whenever she listened to Therese’s voice, understanding when it was directed at her. For some reason, this time the situation, one which she had already had witnessed, made her melt more than ever, forcing her to sit down when she felt her knees buckling — always fascinated by the fact that Therese took this seriously, involving herself in what it could be a serious or a funny ‘conversation’, when most of the people would think it was something ludicrous.

 

* * *

 

The celebration was endearing. When everyone arrived, Carol had some snacks ready for them along with a few bottles of alcohol to toast for the occasion. There was also a cake, or in a more accurate way to put it: two of them. Carol bought one for the team with the word ‘Congratulations!’ on the top while the guys bought one for her with the word ‘Thank You!’ There were frequents hugs and kisses exchanged, the young ones incapable to stop showing Carol their gratefulness, no matter how much she claimed that it had been a pleasure to help them and not an obligation at all. At some point, Therese felt the need to intervene, jokingly playing the jealous wife, claiming only for Carol’s ears that it would be her who showed the physical appreciation once they were alone.

Contemplating the group of friends playing with her daughter, Carol had a familiar sensation of having experienced something like this before which made her frown because the only time they have interacted, it hadn’t been like this, aware that they were in the presence of their boss and they had an image to maintain, which wasn’t happening this time since it was obvious that they felt with enough confidence to simply be them with everything that entailed like annoying each other or joking without any kind of filter. But suddenly a lightbulb went off in Carol’s mind, sending the remainder of her wedding that thanks to the videos that existed as evidence, she could finally understand why she was having that sensation because even when back then they were just strangers, with alcohol in their blood, they gave her a warm welcome and their sober interaction only demonstrated that Therese’s friends were lovely people no matter what.

Anyone else, in the circumstances they were experiencing, would have the idea that they were only doing it due to what Carol’s was doing for them, and if she was honest, the first time they were sober, Carol had indeed had such thoughts but this time proved that they sincerely like her, which was entirely reciprocated. At the moment Rindy, who had been in Dannie’s arms, reached for Therese with one arm, using the other to rub her eyes sleepily, it became painfully aware for Carol how close all this was to end, causing a clenching in her heart that intensified when Therese, now with Rindy in her arms, kissed the baby’s head with her eyes closed, letting her know what- who she would miss the most. But instead of drowning in misery, Carol decided to enjoy the last moments so one day she could share everything with her daughter about the person that helped them like nobody else.

Being a weekday, the trio didn’t stay too late, saying goodbye after spending a couple of hours once they dinner. While Therese went upstairs to put Rindy on her crib, Carol stayed downstairs to tidy up, a task that was interrupted a few minutes later when she felt a pair of hands on her hips, pulling her away from the table she was cleaning. Carol sighed when she felt Therese’s chest against her back, the young woman’s hands sliding towards her belly as she pressed her lips on Carol’s shoulder, who dropped the cloth she was holding, reaching back to hold Therese’s back of her head at the time she turned her head, her gaze falling on to the young woman’s mouth, biting her lower lip in a clear sign that she wanted to kiss her which Therese made possible right away by lifting her head and standing on her tiptoes.

The moment their lips came in contact, they kissed hungrily ─ their tongues fighting for a domination that neither wanted to yield. Carol slowly turned around without breaking contact which neither Therese did, keeping her arms wrapped around the woman, the only change when they were face to face was that she hugged her so tightly that Carol squeed in her mouth like a rubber duck. Chuckling, the women pulled back but without letting go of their embrace. “We act as if we haven’t had sex in weeks.”

“Mmhmm,” Therese agreed. “It’s just that I have been thinking about thanking you since the moment I got the news, there hasn’t been another thing in my mind.”

Carol licked her lips, her eyes clouding with desire. “You have been thanking me for months.”

Therese shook her head. “That was pure selfishness.” Carol smirked amusedly because having sex with the other woman could be considered anything but that. “But this time … well, you will notice the difference.”

“Will I now?” The young woman nodded with confidence. “You are so brazen.” She gave her a wet kiss, then bit her lower lip and pulling at it slowly, letting it go to speak. “I love it.”

“I’m just getting started,” she promised.

Capturing Carol’s lips with hers once again, Therese used her body to guide her towards the table, helping her to get on it even when the woman could do it on her own but she wasn’t going to waste the opportunity to slide her hands to Carol’s ass, squeezing it as she pulled her against her and lifted her so she sat on the table. Carol was mesmerized since the moment Therese started to get rid of her clothes (her blouse and bra) surprised by the very slow way she was doing it, which was slightly frustrating but Therese’s touches were distracting, featherlight caressing their way to every single part that was exposed to their owner, making the moment even more intense to the point Carol shivered when the now dark green eyes locked with hers and never looked away as she kept going.

Fingers were replaced with lips once there wasn’t a place untouched, leaving open-mouthed but tender kisses as they went, once again with the goal of roaming every inch of skin from the waist up. It didn’t take long for Carol to understand Therese’s words. During their previous encounters, the young woman never failed to make her feel desired but they usually went straight to satisfy their need. However, at this moment, Therese was worshiping her in a way that couldn’t be considered entirely sexual, making Carol feel like a goddess in front of a person whose reason for living was to do whatever she asked for. A sensation that threatened to drive her crazy when Therese kneeled, still without breaking eye contact, to slide her pantsuit and panties off to then hold one of her legs, this time combining the tender strokes with her fingers and the soft kisses.

Carol lost the sense of time, her brain only capable to keep working just to make her aware of the delicious torment she was being subjected to. She didn’t even notice when Therese helped her to stand up, only feeling the woman’s hands on her shoulders once she turned her around, lowering them through her arms until her fingers wrapped around her wrist, guided them to the table so she could repeat the same worshiping in the back of her body. The trembling that had been affecting her, became more violent when Therese went over her spine that she couldn’t stop herself from sobbing the woman’s name. It was completely overwhelming that Carol was tempted to stop it, but at the same time, she would commit murder if this came to an end. Tough when it did, before she got the chance to whine, Therese was turning her around once again, giving her a searing kiss in compensation that there was no way Carol was going to complain.

One more time, Therese’s hands found Carol’s ass though this time she stroked it while they were engrossed in their kiss, her fingertips caressing the butt crack, smiling in the kiss when Carol’s nails dug on her scalp. “You are wearing too many clothes,” Carol complained, not pulling away from the young woman’s mouth, their lips brushing while she spoke.

“I know, but you will have to wait a little longer.” At that, Carol found herself sitting on the edge of the table, not able to stop Therese as she quickly dropped on her knees, caressing with reverence from the ankles to the thighs, putting a soft pressure so she could take a place between Carol’s legs, resuming her purpose of never looking away from her lover.

Carol held her breath as Therese came closer, the tip of her nose touching her mound, sliding down, inhaling her scent when it made contact with her clit, which caused that Carol thrusted her hips in her direction, resting one foot and hand on the table while the other went to Therese’s head, fingers threading with locks of hair as the young woman kept stroking her slit, replacing her nose with her tongue when she reached the entrance and it was time to go back upwards. Having been overly stimulated, it didn’t take Carol by surprise when she felt the familiar tightening sensation in her lower belly the moment Therese lapped at her entrance with a perfect rhythm straight away and such eagerness that the splattering sound it caused could be considered indecent after licking her way down from her clit. So by the time Therese made pressure with her tongue, slowly dipping it inside Carol’s pussy, the woman was a goner, not even allowing the young woman to curl it due to the contraction of her muscles.

Carol’s body convulsed violently, sending her into an erratic motion of her hips, grinding against Therese’s mouth, who hummed in response, turned on beyond imagination by seeing Carol arching her back, her breast bouncing mesmerizingly, nipples desperate for attention even when they had been submitted for a long time to a rapt attention when she was worshiping every part of the woman’s body that she was sure Carol’s whimpers were partly due to the sensitivity of her actions; their eye contact breaking until that moment by closed eyes, the rest of Carol’s features in charge of showing without reservation the pleasure the woman was experiencing.

Therese only stopped her ministrations when her lover collapsed on the table, incapable to hold herself any longer. “Jesus … Christ …” Carol gasped when she came back from her highest peak. “That was … it doesn’t exist… an appropriate word to … explain how incredible … that was.”

Therese giggled pleased, standing up. “I told you I was going to show you just how grateful I am.”

Raising her eyebrows, she chuckled. “Oh, it’s more than clear.” She took a deep breath. “I’m completely boneless and it’s the most wonderful sensation I’ve ever experienced.” She chuckled again, the delicious shockwaves still coursing through her body. “I don’t think I can move.”

“That’s okay, you don’t need to.” Not able to keep her hands still, they found their way through Carol’s body as she climbed up the table, taking place next to the woman, the reduced width forcing their bodies together though they would have searched the contact even if not. “We can stay right here until you are capable to do it.” She leaned down to kiss the woman softly. “Together.”

Their smiles and affectionate hug warmed and satisfied them in an emotionally way, at the moment, strong enough to distract them about the reality that their time together was close to expire.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and giving all the possible kudos you could <3

The day they had to meet with Carol’s lawyer to make the divorce official, they got ready in silence. Even Rindy was quiet, as if she was able to catch the women’s mood, the gloominess inevitable for them at the awareness that this would be the last day they were together as a ‘family’. During the way to the lawyer’s firm, Carol was contemplating the fact that only because they were doing this, it didn’t mean they couldn’t stay in contact, remaining friend or perhaps something more, which was what she personally wanted but when she suddenly recalled that Therese had been the one mentioning that neither of them was in the right place for something more, she decided it was better not to say a word, resigning to the fact that this was the end because the previous night had been the last she spend in Therese’s house ─ having spoken with Fred and knowing she would be capable to use the money now, Carol rented a hotel room where hers and Rindy’s thing waited for them.

The women exchanged a look when Therese, following Carol’s directions, parked in the parking lot of the building, chuckling when they sighed at the same time, which briefly helped to ease their discomfort. “Are you ready to do this?” Carol asked, breaking the silence that had been present between them from the moment they awoke.

However, it returned quickly when Therese only nodded in response, reaching to open the car’s door but stepping out just when Carol did the same. Riding the elevator, Rindy rested her head on Carol’s chest, looking at Therese’s direction with puppy eyes, forcing the woman to look away, pained by the sensation of wanting to hold them in her arms and not let them go. It wasn’t like she wanted to stay married per se, she simply wanted to keep them in her life and yes, living with them — she wanted to prolong the last few months. But the fact that that hadn’t been their plan put a stop to say something about it.

When the elevator halted on the third floor, Therese allowed Carol to go out first, following her afterwards. Usually, in new places, Therese was always looking around, admiring things but this day her mind wasn’t into it, simply following her guide, her gaze locked on the back of Carol’s head, who after a few seconds, slowed down to look over her shoulder. “Come on, slowpoke, don’t stay behind.”

Therese smiled at the joking tinge in the woman’s voice but inwardly she sighed, hurrying to walk next to her. Carol was tempted to reach for her hand but the apparent irritated attitude of the young woman avoid her from doing it. She couldn’t blame her, she herself thought it was tedious to come when the papers could have been sent to them, especially when there wasn’t a probability they wouldn’t agree with the written words but she wanted Therese to see for herself that everything was in order and they hadn’t been planning something behind her back. Several times Carol thought she was been ridiculous because Therese had never shown any kind of uncertainty towards her, after all, whenever she talked with Fred, she shared everything with the woman but experience had placed her in such situation.

Reaching the reception, Carol glimpsed at Therese before addressing the young woman with glasses and red hair tied up in a bun. “Good morning, Natalie.”

"Miss Ross, it's nice to see you." She politely smiled. "Mister Haymes is waiting for you, he told me to send you right at the moment you arrive."

Carol smiled, nodding pleased. “Thank you so much, Natalie.” She looked at Therese again before walking, a gesture that indicated to follow her which wasn’t necessary.

Therese only put attention to the gold plate with the name ‘Fred Haymes’ on the door when Carol knocked at it, which opened almost right away that it gave the impression that the man had been waiting next to it. “Carol, you look wonderful.” He shook her hand with both of his when the woman held Rindy with just one arm.

“I’m already your client, Fred, you don’t need to compliment me to keep me around.” But she smiled with affection at him.

He chuckled in response before turning his attention to the young woman. “You must be Therese.” He shook her hand in the same way he did it with Carol. “Nice to meet you, despite the very peculiar circumstances.”

“You too.” She smile sheepishly.

“I know a lawyer’s office it’s not someone’s favorite place to be so, shall we?” He gestured to the roundtable of the wide office.

Therese waited until Carol took a seat to do the same but putting a distance between them, forming a triangle when Fred joined them and noticed after having headed first to his desk where the folder with their papers was waiting. “Everything's redacted as you agreed to ─ irreconcilable differences would be the reason for it and according to share two million dollars.” He pulled out the copies as he spoke, giving one to each woman though neither attempted to take the paper to read it and verify things were accurate. “Now, it’s been six months of your marriage, it’s official, you can start using your part of the money even if I’m going to submit these a month from now at Carol’s request.”

Therese remembered that conversation. She had been feeding Rindy while Carol talked with Fred over the phone. Afterwards, a concerned Carol told her that it would be better to keep things quiet for a month or two before voicing their divorce in Therese’s workplace. Since she was going to France the next week, they would be using that trip as the reason why Carol couldn’t put up with her demanding work. Therese wondered how her boss would react to the news though they would be careful to make it look like it was an act of Carol’s selfishness instead of blaming her job.

Fred made a pause, giving the women the chance to ponder about the situation in case there was any kind of doubt. “Do we agree, ladies?”

Carol was nodding at Fred’s question when Therese said something that stopped her heart. Not knowing that moments later she would hate herself for thinking that the woman was about to screwed her up like Harge did. “Not really.” She was still looking down at the table.

Fred looked at Carol in confusion but the woman’s shock spoke for itself so he said what she was probably thinking. “I beg your pardon?”

“I- I’m just saying that I changed my mind,” she stammered self-consciously. Taking a deep breath before continuing. “I want Carol to have it all.”

Carol’s shook was now for something entirely different. “What?” she high-pitched, followed by a little shriek of her daughter.

Therese raised her head, her eyes immediately finding Carol’s but she didn’t explain herself as the other woman expected, giving her a soft, little bit sad smile. “I- I apologize for not saying something before. I wasn’t actually aware of my decision until now but it’s what I want.” She looked at Fred. “I guess it would be possible to redact the new papers and send them to me so we don’t have to come back again to sign them? I promise I won’t change my mind again.”

A puzzled Fred looked at Carol first, wanting to hear her thoughts, but the woman was in a worse state than him, gaping at Therese. “If that’s what you want, there’s nothing I can do about it unless my client objects.”

Therese grimaced. “In case she doesn’t want the money in her name, I want it to be Rindy’s for her studies or whatever.” She shrugged as if giving up on a million dollar was something she did often.

Carol was listening to every word (at least Therese’s because Fred’s were a muffled sound) but felt incapable to react. “Carol?” Fred had to repeat himself a few times until the woman looked at him dazed. “Are you okay with this?”

Looking back at Therese without answering, Carol could see the stubborn attitude pouring out the young woman, knowing that there would be no way she could change her mind, no matter how much she argued about it. Besides, if she dared to do it, she didn’t want any witness. “I suppose so …” she finally said with hesitation.

The man nodded. “I would redact the new papers and send them to you once they are done. It should be in a week at most since I have some business to take care of.” Therese felt a little bit guilty to drag this longer but her mind was made up.

After saying goodbye to Fred with the reminder (as if they could forget) they would be in contact, Carol and Therese left the premises in silence, not even Rindy’s babbling was able to ease the tension between them. Only when Therese was focused on the road, heading to the hotel they woman was going to stay, Carol, who was looking through the window, was incapable of not getting the answers she needed. “Why you did it?”

Therese gripped the steering wheel a little bit harder. “Because I want you to have the money.”

“But why?” She turned her head to look at the woman with a frown.

“Because I don’t need it. I have a job that’s going to pay me even better than it did,” she said calmly.

“But what if,” she ran her fingers through her hair, slightly anxious, “God forbid it, something happens and you are jobless?”

“I’ll manage, Carol, you don’t have to worry about that.” At least she had savings in case of something unexpected happened.

“This is crazy, Therese.” She rubbed her forehead, as if a headache was threatening to appear.

“Yes, from the very beginning so what difference does it makes to make it last until the end?” she tried to joke though neither laughed. Carol parted her lips to continue arguing and the soft sound it caused prompted Therese to continue. “There’s nothing you can say to make me change my mind. Like I said Fred, if you don’t want it, I’m giving it to Rindy ─ I simply don’t want it.”

Carol frown deepened before turning her head back to the window, not willing to admit that what Therese was doing was making her feel like she didn’t want anything to do with them, as if she was erasing everything that happened by yielding all to her. “As you wish,” she said curtly, which made Therese’s heart clench painfully.

The moment Therese parked in front of the hotel, a bellboy got closer to do his job, opening the door for Carol while a valet parking did the same for Therese, who cleared up that she would be leaving in a moment. However, she got down of the car with the reassurance that she could stay for a few minutes thanks to the spacious space, practically sprinting to catch up with Carol, afraid that the woman would take the opportunity to leave without saying goodbye if she missed a beat. “So …” She took a deep breath, looking at the floor. “This is it.”

Despite feeling upset, Carol’s stance softened because no matter what happened today, Therese had done for her something unpayable. “I know I told you this over and over again but I need to thank you one more time. If it wouldn’t be for you …” she trailed off, placing Rindy on her hip.

Therese smiled gently. “Helping you made me happy.”

Carol smiled unwillingly, her lips apparently having life on their own whenever she saw that lovely dimpled smile. “Anyway … I hope nothing but good things happen to you.”

“Same to you.” She shifted her weight from one leg to the other.

There was a moment of silence in which they couldn’t tell if they should hug or something else as a farewell. Finally, Carol stretched her free arm. “Goodbye, Therese. I’ll always remember you.”

The tears filled Therese’s eyes inevitably as she looked down at Carol’s hand, loathing the detached point they had reached but she fought to control them, reaching to shake her hand. “Goodbye, Carol.” After letting go, she looked at Rindy, who was getting restless and the young woman caressed her cheek with the back of her finger. “Goodbye, Rindy.” Noticing her voice cracking, she turned around, not giving one last look at Carol, walking fast towards her car.

The baby turned her upper body when her mother shifted her in her arms, making her face her chest, enough to be able to see the latest person that made her feel happy and secure walking away. She started to call for her, knowing that doing that was usually enough to draw her attention to her but this time it didn’t work, making her feel apprehensive. When she saw Therese getting inside her car, she tried one more time. “Mama! Mama!” The words missed by the aforementioned woman since at the time was switching the engine on, taking off in the next second, not giving Carol the chance to stop her, feeling her heart breaking, not because her daughter was saying her first word to someone that wasn’t her but because Therese had missed the special moment when she had been present in the baby’s previous milestones.

 

* * *

 

Abby was tapping the table with her middle finger, trying to keep her nerves at bay. To say she was surprised when Carol called her was an understatement, having accepted that her immature attitude had caused her to lose her friend and goddaughter, taking like a confirmation the fact that she didn’t have any contact with Carol for months. So when she got a call, _extremely_ early in the morning, cursing whoever was at the other side for waking her, she froze in surprise when she recognized the voice sassing that she should find a new way of greeting. They didn’t talk much, asking how they had been and it was somehow strained but Abby didn’t think twice in agreeing when Carol asked her if they could see each other to have breakfast together.

Now she was waiting for the woman in the restaurant they usually frequented, Carol’s delay resulting distressing for the first time, making her wonder if this was some sort of revenge though she knew Carol would never lower herself to such point. A few minutes later, when the bouncing of her leg joined to her tapping in a way to show her restlessness, Abby felt a change in the environment that she always linked with Carol’s presence because the woman was simply impossible to ignore, smiling imperceptibly as she looked at the entrance.

Abby’s heart did a somersault when her eyes found Carol, but this time it was in a tender way that had nothing to do with her attraction for the woman but more by the emotion of probably having an opportunity to resume their friendship. When Carol looked at her direction (always picking the same table), Abby raised an arm in confirmation that she was already waiting for her. trying to keep it cool when Carol headed towards her, elegantly pushing the stroller and maneuvering between the tables without bothering anyone.

“Hey,” Carol immediately said when she reached the table.

“Hey.” She waited until the woman took a seat in front of her and positioned the stroller with a sleeping Rindy next to her. “It’s nice to see you,” she admitted softly.

Carol blinked, affording a smile. “Likewise.” She brushed a lock of hair with three fingers. “I wanted to call you sooner but I had been busy with the moving.”

Abby’s eyes widened. “You don’t live with Therese anymore?”

Sadness ghosted Carol’s face briefly. “It has been six months already, Abby.”

“Yeah, but I thought-” she cut herself off when Carol narrowed her eyes at her. “Nevermind. My bad,” she yielded, wanting to follow Carol’s pace, worried to screw up things between them even more.

Sighing, she lowered her head a bit. “I’m sorry, I don’t want you to feel like you are skating on thin ice.” She tilted her head without raising it entirely. “Because the truth is that I miss you, Abby.” Therese’s presence had been able to soothe the lost, now that she didn’t count with that, the hit of the realization struck her hard.

Abby gulped, looking down as if she was mulling Carol’s words. “I miss you too. You are my best friend,” she added as if that explained it all. They exchanged an affectionate smile. “But I’m glad we took this time apart because it helped me to realize you were right.” She grimaced. “I was selfish. When I said I didn’t want you for myself, I was referring in a romantic way but that conversation showed me that I did want to be your biggest crutch.”

“You were for so long, Abby. If it wasn’t for you I don’t want to even imagine where Rindy and I would be right now.” She had forbidden herself to even imagine it.

“Yeah, but I wanted to be the superheroine of your life, the one that would fix everything for you instead of helping you to find your own strength.” She sighed. “Because you know? If I had been the one winning two million dollars, of course I would have still helped you but I wouldn’t have thought in giving you some to start rebuilding your life on your own.”

That was something hard to admit for Abby and to listen for Carol dipping them in a tense silence until a waiter arrived to take their order. They weren’t even hungry but they still asked for their usual order. “That’s why it was hard to see your that day with Therese,” Abby continued when they were left alone. “Because she did that, she gave you that opportunity and made me aware of my mistakes.”

“You weren’t the only one making mistakes, Abby.” She slowly reached to place her hand on the woman’s, patting reassuringly. “I wasn’t in the right state of mind to take the control on my own life.”

“And I took advantage of it.” She lowered her head guiltily.

“You didn’t do it on purpose, don’t you dare to even think about it,” she said fervently. “You might have done things that weren’t entirely right but that doesn’t take away that you looked after me and Rindy when we needed it the most.” Sheepishly, Abby lifted her head to make eye contact. “And I wasn’t a good friend either, I took advantage of your attraction to me to make me feel better without even considering how it could affect you.”

Abby sighed, using her free hand to rub her forehead. “God, we are such a screw-up.”

Carol snorted a laugh. “Tell me about it. You didn’t meet me in my best moment.”

She raised both eyebrows. “I’m going to believe that’s true, you look pretty amazing.” She smiled when Carol shrugged but a playful smile was curving her lips.

After being interrupted again due to the delivery of their food, they ventured into a more neutral conversation, Carol purposefully letting Abby do most of the talking about what she had done during all this time. It was reassuring that despite what happened between them, their comradery was still there, warming them with the reassurance that even when both had made mistakes they didn’t blame the other and they were willing to try to be better friends this time. “What about you?” Abby finally asked, cleaning her lips with a napkin.

Carol sighed, using her fork to play with her food. “It’s great but exhausting to deal with things on my own while taking care of Rindy.” She looked down at her sleeping daughter.

“How long has it been since you left Therese’s?” she asked carefully, not quite sure if she could treat the subject.

“Three days,” Carol answered calmly. She actually could say the hours, minutes and seconds but she wouldn’t reveal that.

Abby’s eyes widened with surprise. “And you already have a house?”

“No.” She smiled. “It’s an apartment, we were staying in a hotel but it didn’t felt homey so I looked out for something quick. I’m currently looking for a house but that takes time.”

“And what other plans you have?” She shifted on the chair, crossing her legs. “Are you going to work or …?” She made a gesture with her hand.

“I was thinking about opening a furniture store. You know I mentioned you that’s a place I would like to work in or have if I had the chance.” She took a swig of her juice. “I won’t lose the opportunity to have an income for the future only because I have money now.”

Abby nodded. “Smart. Besides, one million doesn’t last as someone would like these days. So you are now officially divorced twice?” she joked but Carol didn’t laugh.

Looking away as if her attention had been drawn by a couple that passed by and not because she didn’t want her emotions to be read, she licked her lips. “Not really. She decided to gave me all the money so Fred had to redact a new one,” she whispered. “He actually sent them to me today. I have to sign them and then send them back so he can do the same with Therese.”

The woman almost choked with her coffee. “What?” Abby looked comically surprised. “Why?”

“She said that’s what she wanted.” She shrugged.

“And why do you look like it was the worst thing she could’ve done?” There it went Carol’s attempt to hide her emotions.

“It’s stupid, really.” By the corner of her eye, she could see Abby making her plate aside before placing both arms on the table in an ‘I have all day’ attitude. Carol rolled her eyes but she chuckled, returning her attention to her friend. “It just felt like she wanted to forget everything that happened. Like I said, it’s stupid but in my case, I knew that every time I spent that money it would make me think about Therese and it was heartwarming to imagine that for her it would be the same even if I never had the way to confirm it but with this …” She trailed off, sighing.

“That’s how you see it?” She tilted her head in contemplation.

“How else should I see it?” Carol frowned with confusion.

“Like a selfless person who fell in love with you.” She almost smiled when she clearly saw the woman’s feature changing into shock.

Carol felt her heart stopping for a second before it continued to beat wildly. “She … she’s not in love with me,” she stammered.

This time Abby smiled, mockingly but with affection. “Carol, for some as observant as you are, for some reason you are terrible to notice those things. You never noticed that my attraction was more than that.”

Carol’s eyes widened. It was too much to have this type of revelations at the same time. “Abby, I-” she tried only to be interrupted.

“No, no, don’t worry.” It was her time to place her hand on the other woman’s. “I’m not saying it because I’m expecting a response to the revelation. Even back then I knew that we work so much better like friends, that’s why I didn’t see any reason to say something about it.”

“Are you still …?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“No, no. I’ll always think you are an attractive woman and I love you but just in a friendly way. It was only an infatuation,” she declared.

It was somehow reassuring but Carol couldn’t help but feel guilty all the same. “I’m sorry.”

Abby laughed. “Why are you apologizing, nitwit? It’s not like you can control it.”

“But I should have known, you are my friend and we were together …” she said sorrowfully.

“It’s not on you to notice everything, Carol. I didn’t want you to know. Like I said, we are better as friends so there wasn’t any reason for you to know.” She patted the hand under hers before stroking it softly. “That’s in the past, okay? If we want to move forward we have to take responsibility for our mistakes but not dwelling on them.” Carol nodded distractingly but Abby knew better than pushing her.

“Is Therese in love with me?” she whispered after a while, so low that it gave the impression that she didn’t want to be actually heard.

“I could see her completely smitten that day but I’m willing to bet she is after knowing what she did,” she spoke with confidence.

“Why?” She didn’t want to get her hopes up but her heart was winning the battle against her brain at that moment.

“Like I said, only a person in love is capable to make such a selfless act.” Momentarily she looked away, watching a waiter cleaning a table. “She accepted splitting two million with you when you were just a stranger, it’s not surprising that she would give you everything after falling in love with you.”

“And why, for crying out loud, she didn’t say anything about it?” She frowned, her bewilderment replaced by indignation.

Abby sighed. “The conversation you two had before making things physical … I’m willing to bet that you agreed that it would only last during the time you have to spend together?”

Carol shifted uncomfortably on the chair. “Well …”

Abby smiled triumphantly. “You are so predictable.” The woman in front of her frowned. “You liked Therese since the very beginning, you said it yourself and that that’s the reason why you interacted with her. Alcohol only encourages you, it doesn’t make you do things you don’t want deep down.”

“You are saying I married her because that’s what I wanted?” she asked incredulously.

“No, no … that was pure craziness even if it was related to what I’m about to say. You didn’t allow her to go back to her path after you saw her because you fancied her ─ you thought she was an attractive woman and you wanted to spend time with her, getting to know her.” Carol parted her lips to say something but nothing came out because Abby was right.

Even in her tipsy state, she had been able to distinguish the pull she felt towards the other woman, a need that encouraged her to not let her go when she was facing such moment. “I- well, yeah.”

“And I know you feel the same way because you might look better than ever but there’s also a melancholic aura surrounding you.” Carol wouldn’t even bother to deny it, several times she had wondered how it was possible to be happy and sad at the same time. “Which leads me to my next question: why you haven’t gone to look for her?”

“She’s going to France, Abby. There’s really not an opportunity to talk, at least until she comes back.” Several times a day she thought about going to look for her but before this conversation, she had clung to her misunderstanding about why Therese had done what she did to not do it.

Abby nodded in understanding but then she adopted a pensive expression. “When does she leaves?”

“Today, as far as I know.”

Abby frowned and looked at Carol as if she was crazier than for marrying a complete stranger. “And why the hell are you losing your time with me instead of getting your wife back?!” For the very first time, when she pronounced the word ‘wife’, she didn’t do it in a mocking tone.

 

* * *

 

Therese was looking down at the floor, following with her eyes the movement of her foot tracing invisible lines instead of keeping an eye on their luggage like she had promised to do while her friends went to buy something to eat as they waited for their flight to be called. The previous three days she and her friends had gotten ready for their trip ─ in the first, they packed their equipment; in the second, their personal belongings; and in the third, they had gone to the house of each of them so they could verify they nothing was missing. They had been pretty busy but not even that helped to distract Therese from the pain that seemed to have found asylum in her heart.

She didn’t need to be in her house to be reminded of Carol and Rindy everywhere she looked but undoubtedly it had a bigger impact there because she was still able to feel their presence, even their odor lingered in the ambiance. Like a masochist, she made things so much worse by going over the pictures she had taken about them. Each time she looked at them, she felt the burning of the tears in her eyes but it frustrated her that she apparently was incapable to let them out, incapable to unburden all the feeling that she hadn’t been able to admit, as if they had taken away with them, her ability to feel like a normal human being. She was emotionally stuck, without the chance to move forward or backward, leaving her in a numb state.

Therese returned to the present when Dannie sat next to her, handing her a disposable container. When she took it, he opened his, revealing a hamburger with fries, eating a few before breaking the silence. “You shouldn’t blame yourself for your feelings, you know?” The trio had suspected the moment they saw them interacting with each other but the confirmation came three days ago when a miserable Therese told them that she had said goodbye to Carol and Rindy, distractingly mentioning that she decided to give them all the money.

Her fingers tightened around the box she was holding. “I don’t.”

“Then why you look guilty?” he inquired.

Therese sighed. “It just feels like I lied to her because I said one thing and another happened.”

“You guys talked about not falling in love?” He looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

“No, but it was implicit when we said we weren’t in the right place for something more than a fling.” She started to trace the protruding borders of the lid.

“But at that moment you didn’t know this was going to happen. You were sincere back then, things can change.” He shrugged.

“That’s not what affects me … I love her, I’m okay with that. It’s not like I could do something about it if I didn’t.” She snorted. “It’s just that I won’t ever be able to do something about it.”

“Why not? When we come back you could-” he stopped when Therese shook her head.

“Why would she want me, Dannie?” She looked at him, distress clear in her face. “I’m barely twenty-two. In the eyes of many, I’m still a child. And even if I get older, I’ll always be younger than her. I don’t have anything to offer to them.”

“Twenty-three soon.” He couldn’t help but point out, amused when Therese threw daggers at him with her eyes. “But for real, who fucking cares about those ‘many’, Terry? Only you and Carol have something to say about that. And only Carol can decide if you can offer what they need. But you can’t forget that you already did it once.” The woman was silent. “You think she only put up with you because she wanted the money? That kissing you and whatever else you guys did in private, involving clothes or not- ouch!” He rubbed his tight after Therese hit him. “The point is: you really believe that the time you spent together was something shallow for her?”

Therese’s mind was flooded with images of all the times Carol demonstrated that she cared for her and it wasn’t something entirely sexual for her. “No, of course not.”

“Then perhaps you should do a serious thinking these days.” He paused to eat a bit more of his food. “You are in this situation because you are so sure that you don’t have an option but you do. And it will help you to move on one way or another: either you find closure if Carol directly tells you that she doesn’t want to be with you or you get everything you wished for.”

Not needing to answer, Therese opened her container of food, pondering Dannie’s words before her focus strangely centered in one sound between the myriad that could be heard at the airport. “Mama!”

Therese couldn’t explain or understand why she felt her heart skipping a beat while a desperate need make her lift her head when she listened to the word, turning it in direction of the sound, feeling like she was falling down through a rabbit hole ─ her heart beating with fierceness, stomach fluttering as if she was plummeting without an opportunity to save herself ─ when her eyes found Carol carrying a Rindy face forward, one arm wrapped around her stomach and the other under her bottom, who was stretching both arms towards her.

Instinctively, as if an invisible force was tugging her, she stood up without addressing her friend, meeting them halfway. The women didn’t break contact until there were only a few inches separating them, giving Rindy the opportunity to stretch and grip Therese’s shirt, who looked down when she felt it. Therese was raising her arms before noticing what she was doing, stopping when her fingertips brushed Carol’s forearms that made her look up sheepishly, ready to apologize until she saw Carol’s reassuring smile, that made disappear the surroundings and her self-consciousness.

“Mama!” The baby frowned, upset that it wasn’t happening what she wanted.

Therese’s eyes widened in surprise, looking back at Rindy, finally taking her in her arms as she beamed a smile. “You talk now!” It has been only three days but it felt like she hadn’t seen them for a very long and torturous time. “I’m sure you were the happiest at being her first word,” she addressed Carol, gazing up at her.

“I had mixed feelings about it and not because she’s not talking about me.” She smiled tenderly. It was peculiar the way her heart was beating wildly to the point it ached, ready to explode but at the same time she felt so calm at being in the young woman’s presence.

Therese was completely befuddled. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not Mama, I’m Mommy. At least the adorable version she can manage to say.” She smiled. “She’s talking to you, darling,” she revealed in a whisper.

It was fascinating to see the way Therese’s features changed, unable to keep them at bay ─ going from the confusion to the realization and then the astonishment. “W-what? How-? That’s- Carol, I didn’t, when I coaxed to say the word I always pointed to you,” she explained desperately, thinking that the mixed feelings the woman had were because she was upset her daughter had been calling someone else Mama.

“Therese, I’m not angry she calls you that. It only bothered me that you missed it the first time she did it.” Her eyebrows furrowed unhappily.

When Therese’s lower lip quivered, the young woman bit at it in an attempt to stop it. She looked down at Rindy, who was looking up at her with eyes full of wonder that brought tears to her eyes, tears that she was finally able to shed moderately when the baby put her arms on her chest to then place her head against it too, like she was hugging her, giving a content sigh afterwards. Sniffing, Therese raised Rindy so she could rest her head against the baby’s. For her part, Carol was fighting back the tears, overwhelmed by the touching scene. Therese always claimed to she loved watching her interact with Rindy, and Carol could now understand why but Therese didn’t have the luck to experience what Carol did ─ watching their bond developing since the very first moment.

Carol was about to raise an arm, ready to clean Therese’s tears away when the woman spoke. “What are you doing here, Carol?” she asked in a low tone, not looking at her.

She cleared her throat, wanting to keep her emotions in check. “I received the divorce papers today,” she started, wanting to point out the fact that she felt incapable to sign them and the reason why, but once again she was interrupted.

“Oh.” Therese felt her heart to pieces at the fact that Carol couldn’t even wait until her return to be divorced from her. “I understand.” She took a deep breath, her arms briefly tightening around the baby in her arms to control the shaking on her body. “I’ll sign them right away.”

“That’s not why I’m here.” Those words were enough to snap Therese’s head up and Carol felt as if someone was crushing her heart when she looked at those big and shining eyes, filled with emotions: sadness, confusion, surprise, contained hope. Running her fingers through her hair, she looked down for a moment, nibbling at her lower lip nervously before making eye contact again. “I couldn’t sign them.”

Therese shivered, feeling her stomach and heart somersaulting. “Carol …”

“I’m not saying I want to stay married if that’s not what you want.” She licked her lips. “But I …” In a gesture that now felt slightly out of character, Carol’s insecurity was obvious: looking everywhere but Therese before gazing back at her with hesitation. “I want us to be together.” Therese didn’t know how she managed to stay up when she felt her legs tremble. “Do all the things that we probably should have done before getting married,” she joked. Carol’s heart was beating anxiously in her chest and the fact that the young woman was looking at her like she was facing a ghost wasn’t helping. “Probably you don’t love me like I love you but if you think there’s a tiny probability it could happen I would like you to give me a chance.” The only change in the other woman was her eyes widening, making Carol lose her hope. “Although I would also understand if your answer it’s no. You are too young to be in a relationship with a woman older than you, who also has a child.” She pursed her lips, tilting her head up a bit, trying to convey a dignified stance.

To say Therese was perplexed was an understatement. Part of her sincerely believed this was some sort of dream and that sooner rather than later, her alarm would pull her out of this paradise. But when she saw Carol’s distress, she knew it wasn’t possible this was a dream because she would never hurt the woman in any way. “Y-you love me?” She asked perplexed, stepping forward, feeling the brush of Carol’s blouse on her forearms.

If it wasn’t for the vulnerable incredulity in the question, Carol would have thought that Therese was showing off such fact. “Of course I love you.” Her eyes softened with affection, smiling softly but hesitatingly. “I don’t even know the moment it happened but you earned my heart, and not only mine.”

Therese looked down at Rindy, who beamed a smile at her, showing her now four teeth. The young woman half-laughed, half-sobbed. Her body was ready to burst out with joy, the words to say she loved them too were at the tip of her tongue but there was only one thing that exceeded her desire to voice it out and it was the desire to demonstrate it. Smoothly launching herself towards Carol, mindfully careful to not inconvenience Rindy, Therese raised herself up, just brushing the woman’s lips to let know her intention. Pleasantly surprised, Carol held onto her neck, softly pulling her towards her as her lips parted, taking possession of the lusty lips that from the first moment responded in kind at the brief but unfettered kiss that helped to dissipate every doubt they women could still carry with them.

Breaking apart but not pulling away, Carol leaned her forehead against Therese’s, who opened her eyes, gazing at the woman. “I love you too. To both of you.”

Carol felt her heart swelling with love at the words while Therese’s reacted in the same way at the woman’s raw reaction, so unreserved. Once again, they lost themselves in a kiss, lips caressing leisurely as if they were tasting themselves for the first time, becoming addicts immediately. Therese repositioned Rindy to hold her with only one arm, using the other to reach for Carol, wrapping it around her hip, her hand making contact with the small of her back to pull her closer. This time the only reason they pulled apart was that they heard the soft sound of a throat clearing very near them, finding Genevieve close to them.

“Hi, Carol.” She smiled before looking troubled. “I really hate to be the one interrupting but our flight has been announced, T.”

Therese cursed internally, nodding at her friend before turning back her attention to Carol, full of apprehension. “I- I have to … I don’t want to-” It was only two weeks but at this moment the prospect of leaving was the worst thing she could experience.

Carol smiled tenderly, stroking Therese’s cheek to then trace her nose bridge, giving a soft tap on the tip. “It’s okay, darling, you have to do this. We have all the time in the world.” The support was reassuring but the young woman still felt the desperation about spending that time without them even when the future had turned so bright now. “Unless …” her smile suddenly turned into a smirk, “you don’t have any objection about us going with you.”

Therese was starting to believe her face was going to end up permanently in a state of surprise by the many times it was appearing on her this day. “What?” In response, Carol dipped her hand on the pocket of her coat, pulling out a ticket. “Are you serious?” She beamed when the woman nodded with a smile.

“What do you think?” She raised an eyebrow.

“We got married the day we met, I think going on a trip together the day we officially became a couple it’s pretty normal for us.” The women chuckled. “Besides …” she lowered her voice, speaking coyly. “It could be the honeymoon we didn’t have.”

Carol bit her lip while Therese stepped back, bouncing Rindy once with the arm she was holding her to kiss the baby’s head, who shrieked happily. Then, the young woman stretched the other and Carol, not missing a beat, took her hand, interlacing their fingers together, walking to the trio’s way. There were still many things they needed to talk about, but they felt a sensation of calmness washing them over, knowing that they were heading to the beginning of their life together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope to see you in 'Bonded' ;)


End file.
